War and Peonies: Battle Plans
by Goldielochs
Summary: Based off the characters of Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe. Persephone gets angry and turns to the only person she thinks could understand.
1. Punches

**AN: This is a story I had previously had in my Roots and Petals: Collections of Lore Olympus One Shots. I never was really satisfied with it and I FINALLY got around to telling the story I really wanted to. I've kept part one. So keep in mind, I wrote Part one (this first chapter) over a year ago so when I wrote that I didn't know what her role in the underworld would be so just be cool. lol**

**I hope you guys enjoy this revision. I'm having a lot of fun with it. Please let me know in the comments what you think.**

* * *

War And Peonies: Battle Plans

Chapter One

Punches:

* * *

Two weeks ago:

"Mom. . . why do I have to go to bed." Hebe rubbed her eyes at the top of the stairs wearing a long purple striped dress. Her other hand wrapped around the banister, refusing to leave.

"Because, sweet child. It's your bedtime." Hera knelt down on her level and kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl, brush your teeth and get in bed."

"But MOM." Hebe whined. "It's MY party." Hebe waved at all the balloons that read "Happy Birthday Hebe!" on them.

"It's an adult thing. You'll understand when you're older."

"BUT I AM OLDER." Hebe stomped. "I JUST TURNED NINE."

"Hebe." Hera stood up, not taking the insolence from her child. "Go to your room."

"But Ares hasn't come yet." Hebe hiccuped. "You said he was gonna come. You promised."

Hera sighed. "Your brother is in the middle of a war, Hebe. He said he would try, but I didn't promise you anything."

"HE PROMISED." Hebe's voice verged on the edge of tears.

Hera looked behind her, worried that her screaming child would interrupt the flow of the party. "Bed. Now." Hera demanded.

"Come on, Hebe." A low and rough voice said reassuringly. "I'll read you a bedtime story."

Hera turned to see Hebe wrap her little arms around Ares neck. He was on one knee and pressed his little sister into his chest, his formal military cap in his right hand. She fiddled with the medals on his pocket. "What's this one for?"

"Tickling." Ares replied without any hesitation and his fingers turned into claws. Hebe ran away, giggling and screaming back to her room.

"You came back?" Hera said, her face in shock.

"Just for a few hours." Ares said grimly. "Well, I got a bedtime story to read." Then he marched to the hallway behind the kitchen. He came back twenty minutes later and headed straight for the bar downstairs. The music blaring was too loud and he had to loosen his collar as the bass beats hit. Cannons blasted between his ears.

His eyes roamed over the guests as he sipped on straight whisky. He shouldn't have come. His men needed him. Even now their prayers echoed in his head, while he was . . . what? Lousing around, making airs, pretending with the other gods? It was good to see Hebe again. He promised her and he was good for his word. But he should go now. He wasn't one to stand around especially not in the middle of a siege that he'd been working on for four months. His toe started to fidget uncomfortably. The dress shoes felt like boxes on his feet. He should be wearing his combat boots. He finished his whisky.

"Mother. Father." He approached them and bowed curtly. "It was nice to see you."

"You can't leave. But you only just got here!" Zeus protested. Hera shrugged and sipped on her champagne, her eye sliding to the side. Then her eyes narrowed and a grin rose to the side of her face, like a cobra.

"Wait. There's someone I want you to meet!" Hera set her champagne down and then straightened Ares collar. She licked her thumb and tried to make the cowlick on Ares head lay flat. He had a permanent case of hat hair.

"Mother." Ares groaned. "Not this again." He glanced at Zeus who just smiled at him, completely oblivious to his wife's schemes.

"Persephone!" Hera called to a group of women huddled to the corner. A pink tulip poked her head out. Hera waved at her to come over.

Ares dropped two things: his jaw and his hat. The creature skipping towards him, had hips he could live on and breasts he could sleep soundly between. Something in him wanted to fold her, make her even smaller. . . watch her lips as they . . .

"Ares," Hera snapped him out of his thoughts. "I want you to meet Persephone."

He blinked and held out his hand formally, acutely aware of the raised scars he was offering up. "How do you do?"

Persephone however, her face fell as if looking at her enemy and she didn't accept his hand at all. "We've met." She turned away, her hair flipping to the side.

"Oh." Hera grumbled. _Well. Shit. _

"No. I don't think so." Ares furrowed his eyebrows. "I would remember a face like yours."

"Really? Because it's so hideously ugly? I believe those were your words. Oh no. It was that I'm such a sore sight to look at, you'd rather be staring at the back side of a jackass." She remembered the day quite vividly. The first time a man sees a girl and objectifies her body is a moment they'll never forget. Especially if the words are cruel.

"What?" Ares backed away. Trying to remember a time when he ever told a pretty girl something so harsh.

"ARES!" Hera fumed. Of all the dumb things Ares had done and all the stupid shit he has said. . . to speak that way to a girl. She would tear him to pieces. She raised him better than that. Right? She did, didn't she?

"What? No. No. No." Ares shook his head, his tufts of hair jostling. "I said that just a few years ago to this child. More pig than girl really, she was so plain looking and. . ." He looked back up at Persephone. "And. . ." Persephone's eyes. "Oh shit."

"Ares. Go to your room." Hera rubbed her temples.

Persephone crossed her arms. "Wow." She nodded slowly, processing his words.

"I'm-" Ares faltered. "I didn't- I mean. You've. . . changed." Ares looked over her body again. "In a good way because let's be honest, you couldn't exactly get worse."

"ARES." Hera was this close to strangling. "LEAVE. JUST LEAVE."

"It's alright." Persephone shrugged. "Don't worry. I only get offended by people whose opinion is actually important."

"Oh good." Ares nodded relieved, not at all catching her tone.

"And that pig?" Persephone continued viciously, an ever present smile on her face. "She thought you were no better looking than a bale of hay."

She turned on her heels and walked away.

Ares looked on as her butt moved side to side. Then her words resonated, sinking through. "HEY WAIT A SECOND." His eyes glowed fiery. And his temple pulsed with anger. "Do you have any idea who I am!" He yelled, lunging forward. He didn't care how pretty someone was, they had absolutely no right to disrespect him. Him. Of all people. She would have to learn.

Persephone stopped mid walk and turned just as Ares was leaning forward. He froze. She bent over to cover the remaining distance between them and placed two hands gently on either side of his face. Women weren't the ones that grabbed first at him. He didn't budge.

Her fingers felt cool, like a fresh breeze. He could smell her, like honeysuckle on a warm summer evening. Her eyes shined up at him, sparkling with some secret. It reminded him of the stars twinkling on the mortal realm. Nights looking up on his back with the dirt behind him, the stars above him and the taste of rum on his lips. He forgot he was angry.

She laughed. Her face breaking out of its walled up expression. "I like you better like this." Persephone chuckled and without another word, turned and slowly stepped away.

He watched her, like a hawk, as her hips swayed like a dancer until she was out of sight. He cleared his throat.

He turned back to his mom. "What just happened?"

Ares took a few stuttering steps back to his cap that he left on the ground. He heard laughter but it didn't make sense so he turned it out.

When he tried to place his hat, it wouldn't fit. It was only then that he noticed the flowers she had wrapped up into his hair. Little pink and white peonies forming a crown around his head. The laughter, suddenly echoed in his ear, louder than the music. Louder than the ever present cannons.

"Dammit!" He ripped the flower crown from his head. "Dammit!" He screamed again. He hated to look like a fool. Hated it worse than losing. At least there was honor in a hard battle fought. He crushed the flowers in his hand. Anger turning the petals limp as they fell to the floor. This is why he hated coming back to Olympus.

He slammed his hat back on his head and left the way he came in. Suddenly and without warning.

* * *

Present:

Ares crossed his arms to pull his shirt up and over him, tossing it on the floor. In the mirror, he didn't see himself but every battle fought. The wins, the losses. The glories, the defeats. The devastation and thrills all etched across him, mingling, touching each other connecting to make a map of his skin in blood.

Bloodthirsty. Wrath. Anger. War. Words that not only haunted behind him, but marched in front of him, preceding him. Everyone knew who Ares was. Everyone knew what Ares does. It helped, because he hated introductions. . . but no one ever tried to know him. It was better that way. Feelings only got in the way. Athena says he feels too much, but that's not true. He doesn't feel anything at all. . . does he? He posed and grinned at the mirror. Shooting finger guns. But his smile faltered, and the mirror cracked. He grunted, wrapped the towel around his neck, and headed out of the gym. Oh, that's right. Anger. Haunting after him and marching before him.

He picked up his phone from his gym back Leaning on the wall, he tapped the phone to his forehead before typing.

_Hey. You up? _

A minute ticked by. Still no response. He sighed and started the shower, letting the scalding water wash away more than the sweat from his work out. Something about the heat made him feel new again. As if he could burn away his sins. Still, he looked the same, but for a moment he could feel different.

His phone buzzed while he was drying off.

Aphrodite: _You back in town?_

Ares smirked and wiped his hand across his face. He already knew where this was going. Like stars colliding.

Ares_: Just got back. _

Aphrodite: _How did it go - the war or whatever it is that took you away for 4 months._

Ares_: I don't want to talk._

Aphrodite: _Me neither. _

Ares: _Good. I'm coming over._

Quickly, Ares pulled on a hoodie and basketball shorts that he pulled off from the floor. He skipped the boxers. He'd be undressing again soon anyway. What's the point? He grabbed his keys and jogged down the back entrance of the palace. He left his motorcycle by the gate. The engine was still warm and it roared awake with life again as he kicked it into gear. The sound crackled with raw energy.

Awakened by the noise, Hebe looked out the window and rubbed her eyes. By the time her head peered above the window sill, Ares was already gone. She curled her prized fluffy bunny to her chest. "Brother?" She yawned. She missed him but how could he leave already if he hadn't been back. She saw a pink butterfly flutter at her window. Hebe stared out, her face scrunching in confusion. It moved on out of site. Butterflies don't fly at night, she scratched her head. Before she could question it further she yawned and fell back asleep.

He jogged up to Aphrodite's house, using the side entrance that led to her wing. Fiddling with the keys, he finally found the right one and slid it into the lock. It didn't budge. He tried again, but it was obvious that it wasn't a match. Ares cursed then went through a few more keys. Perhaps he grabbed the wrong one. After he exhausted the keys, he banged on the door. "Hey. It's me. Open up. My key isn't working for some reason." He said loudly into the night. He shoved on the door, willing it to open. "Come on!"

His hoodie pocket buzzed.

Aphrodite: _You can come over, but I'm not home._

Ares took a deep breath.

Ares: _What do you mean your not home? Where are you?_

He watched the dots on the message logs, growing more and more frustrated.

Aphrodite: _You've been gone a long time. I'm seeing someone else now._

Ares knee jerk reactioned and threw his phone into the sky. It landed somewhere on her roof. He yelled but his voice got lost within the rumble of his motorcycle. He drove back to the palace in such a rage he could only see a few feet ahead of him. Someone else? SOMEONE ELSE? He was only gone a month. No wait. Four months? Still that wasn't long. Not to gods. He even came back for an evening for that stupid party that his mom forced him to go to. It threw off his whole phalanx positions for a few days. Come to think of it. . . Aphrodite wasn't there. Was Aphrodite already. . .

He could picture it now. Someone else's lips on her neck. Someone else's fingers on her thigh. Someone else's hands gripping hers on the headboard. Aphrodite screaming someone else's name.

Ares punched a hole in the wall in the hallway. He slammed his door open. Everything was as he left it. Papers scattered, military ideas sketched out late at night, unorganized thoughts and plans that he always changed when it came down to action. His bed was unmade and lumpy. His floor had been recently picked up. His clothes put away. But his room still smelled like the third day of a battle. No amount of cleaning or time away could get rid of the stench. He liked it. But his mother always harped about it.

"You'll never be able to bring girls over." Hera would say each time she walked past before he could slam the door shut.

He didn't want to bring anybody over. He didn't want to let anyone in. He always came to them or meetups in alleyways and dark cars. Temporary places.

His fist unclenched and he sighed. He felt a breeze on his skin and heard the flapping of a flag. He looked up to see his flag, posted out front was twirling back inside his room. Did he leave the window open this whole time? He moved to go close it, but paused with his hands on the window frame. He breathed in the night air. A fresh start from the battle in his room. He left it open as he turned to go to bed. He was pretty tired and just realized how exhausted he truly was. He never usually slept until he couldn't stand it anymore. Until he stopped moving. So he was always moving. The circles under his eyes warned of his paranoia, but he didn't know what else to do now.

He jumped into bed and rolled into his blankets. Then after a moment he threw them, kicking wildly. His skin was too hot but now, laying openly felt too vulnerable. He sat up and turned on the lamp on his bedside table. Maybe he'd start drafting the next fight, the next battle. His hands gropped for a pencil. An odd shadow passed. Something on his desk fluttered into the air. Ares looked up to see a pink butterfly. It floated gently in the air then before his eyes, it unfurled, losing its shape. He blinked and Persephone was leering up at him.

Yesterday evening:

Persephone had just finished editing the weekly newsletter for "The Deadly Harold" with some pieces with titles such as "Letting Go: But Not Forgotten" and "Finding Love in a Hopeless Place: You Deserve It." The photography department had just sent in the photos and she picked them out and placed them in the layout all on her own this week. She was so excited. Hecate had already left for the day. Persephone poked her head out the door. Cerberus was snoozing by the doorway. That meant he was still here. Persephone sent the final drafts to the editor, making sure to send the attachment, which she had to learn the hard way was the easiest way to piss people off here. She skipped up to Hades office, not able to contain herself. She was proud of her work and she hoped he would be too. She knocked on the door, but it swung open silently at her pressure.

Several things happened simultaneously. Hades stood up suddenly at her presence and shoved a very naked Minthe off of his lap. Revealing his open chest and unbuttoned trousers. The physical draft for the Deadly Harold fell to the floor, scattering as they collapsed. Persephone gasped, and her heart sank to the floor but her stomach jumped up to her throat. Her hand still up in the air, frozen like a statute. She shut her eyes, willing the hot tears about to spill out to go back.

"I - I tried to knock. I'm sorry." Then suddenly Persephone grabbed the door handle, slammed it closed. The floor was rising. The ceiling was crashing down. Her heart was pounding. What was this feeling? She couldn't bare it. She closed her eyes again but she just kept seeing Minthe touching him. Their skin. Their closeness. His clothes shoved aside. Persephone gulped, but there was a lump she had to swallow down. Her hands were fists at her side. Her feet were flying and she didn't know where she was going she just had to move. Had to get away. Had to go. The 99th level of the office building and all the walls were coming in on her. She couldn't breathe. She had to escape. She picked up a chair in her shaking fingers and without thinking launched it at the closest window. The glass shattered in a thousand pieces and for a moment time slowed down again. Persephone saw herself in the cracked shards. Weak. Unworthy. Polite. Docile. Dumb. And then those pieces fell away to the darkness.

Persephone followed after them.

Present:

"What are you doing here!" Persephone and Ares yelled at each other. They stood two feet apart, their hands balled into fists.

"I asked you first!" Still in tandem. Both of their faces leering at each other, daggers in their eyes.

"You weren't supposed to be here!" Persephone huffed.

"It's MY room!" Ares countered.

"OH REALLY? The red flag with your name on it wasn't a dead give away." She leaned to her right, kicking her hip out.

"What are you-why are you here?" Ares held his hands out as if to strangle, but just pressed them together.

Persephone's facade cracked and she held her arms to her side. "Well, I. . . I got lost."

"Lost?"

"Yeah. And. . and I didn't know where else to go. I thought you wouldn't be here but I wanted-" Persephone looked around his room. "I wanted to be angry. I never. . . felt like this before and I don't know. . .how to. And I guess I just. . . found myself here."

Ares spat. "You wanna be angry? You don't know what you're asking for."

"Everyone thinks I'm-I'm just this sweet, naive, silly girl." She huffed. "They laugh when I'm mad. They think it's cute. CUTE. I'm tired of being-" Persephone stared at her hands. "I'm tired of being. . . just this." She balled her hands up. "I wanna." She breathed heavily. "I wanna punch something. I wanna rip someone's hair out. I feel. . . violent." Persephone imagined a neck between her hands. . . squeezing the life out of someone. "I wanna watch someone bleed. I wanna be the one that cuts them."

Ares licked his lips and rolled his eyes. "You don't know anything."

"TEACH ME." Persephone threw her hands up in the air. "THEN TEACH ME." She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her. "I'm so angry." Hot tears rolled down her cheek. "It hurts." She started to shake. "I'm so angry I don't know what to do. I'm shaking. See. I. . . when it happened. . . I didn't know what I was feeling. . . I couldn't handle it. It was easier to not be me anymore. I thought maybe I could live as a butterfly and live my life free from any emotion."

Ares bowed his head and his eyes softened.

Persephone continued. "But, now it just hurts. And I hurt and I just- hate-"

"Hit me." Ares said plainly.

"What?" Persephone looked up.

"Punch me." Ares repeated, his face stoney in seriousness.

"I can't-"

"Sure you can." Ares took off his hoodie, revealing all of his battle scars. "Remember what I said to you in the mortal realm?"

WHACK!

Persephone threw a punch right into his sternum.

"Ouch." Persephone shook her hand out. Her wrist flopped up at the wrong angle.

Ares grabbed her wrist and folded her fingers, curling her thumb underneath. "Like this. Hit straight. Keep the wrist supported. Now. Do it again."

WHACK!

"Put one foot in front of the other. You punch with your whole body, not your hand, not your arm. Support your rotation, keep your feet steady." Persephone changed her stance accordingly. "Yes. Like that. Good. Again."

WHACK!

"Better. Now hit harder. You're holding back."

"No I'm not." Persephone hissed.

"Yes you are. You're hesitating. What are you angry about?"

"None of your damn business!" Persephone lunged, rotating her arm extending it into his chest.

"Is it school?" Ares pressed. "A boy perhaps."

"SHUT UP!" Persephone hit him again.

"Okay." Ares flexed his arms above his head. "So, a boy dumped you."

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Persephone hit him again.

"Cheated on you." Ares hissed out.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Persephone threw everything she had, hitting him over and over again using both hands.

After the first couple of rapid attacks, he easily knocked her arms to the side and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up just until she was uncomfortable. "You let your guard down." He let go, moved his hand to her forehead, and poked it. "That's anger. You don't want it."

"OF COURSE I DON'T WANT IT!" Persephone stomped over to his bed and collapsed on it. 'But I have it now! And I can't stop it! It's like an avalanche. And I can't push it back. It's just falling out of me.." She breathed into the comforter. After a moment she wrestled with the fabric, tossing it this way and that. She was still and then she sniffled.

"Are you crying?" Ares asked in disgust.

"NO!" Persephone whined. But then a bubble of sobs escaped up out of her. "I'm." Sob. "Not." Sob. "Crying."

Ares grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her out of bed onto the floor. "Stop it."

"What?" She looked up at him hurt. No one had ever. . . _not_ comforted her.

"You're a grown ass woman. You came crawling into the bedroom of a stranger who hates your guts and you want what exactly? Sympathy? You want a pat on the back and for me to tell you it'll be okay?" Ares rolled his eyes. "Grow a pair. You can't just wait for someone to act for you. You have to pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. And fight again. It's all we can do. Crying, letting yourself feel SORRY isn't going to get you the results you want."

Persephone scrunched her nose up. "Says the guy who starts wars when he gets his feelings hurt. How many people have died because you couldn't just let it go. Maybe YOU should cry instead of acting with your dick out."

Ares pulled her up from the floor by her wrists and pushed her onto his bed. "Don't you dare."

"Dare WHAT?"

"I didn't show up to your garden. You're in my room. You're in my house. You don't get to-" He grappled with her, hovering over her. "You came to me because you're angry. Well, I'm angry ALL THE FUCKING TIME." He shoved her back to his pillow and leapt up out of the bed. "I hurt too. I feel lonely too. I lose all the FUCKING time. I'm not as smart as Athena. I'm not as powerful as some of the others. I have other wants too. It's not all just. . . fighting. And IT FUCKING HURTS. So don't come in here and lecture me like I can't feel anything. Like I don't understand what it's like to. . ." His shoulders fell, the tension loosening. "Want something so badly and not get it because you're not enough. And you'll never be enough, because you are who you are."

Persephone sat up, grabbing a pillow and wrapping her arms around it. "I do."

"Yeah?" Ares tutted. "What do you want?"

"Someone who doesn't want me back." Persephone's head fell forward, digging into his pillow. "What do you want?"

Ares laughed, bitterly. "I suppose the same thing." He sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Sorry for throwing you around." He said quietly.

"Sorry for criticizing you."

"S'okay. I deserve it." He wiped his face with his hand, stretching his skin down.

"Who is she?" Persephone turned her face to see Ares struggle. His eyebrows raised, wickedly.

"Who is he?" He held out his hand, thumb raised up to the ceiling. "Thumb war." He explained. "Whoever wins, has to tell the other one who it is."

She grinned and shuffled to face him square on.

"One- two -three -four, I declare a thumb war." Their eyes narrowed.

Not even two seconds into the game: "I win." Ares smirked.

"Best two out of three?" Persephone tried.

Ares nodded. "Sure."

"One-two-three-four. I declare a thumb war."

"I win again." Ares chuckled.

"Ugh fine." Persephone picked up the pillow again and smashed her face into it.

"So. Who is it?"

"Hades." She said muffled into the pillow.

"Woooa-oah." Ares scratched his chin. "Hades?" He raised his eyebrow incredulously. He looked over her. She was much too. . . soft. _Oh._ He nodded. That's why she's here now.

Ares sighed. "I thought I was going to be spending the evening with my Aphrodite tonight." He flicked something out of his hair uncomfortably. "But uh, I guess she's not mine anymore."

"I'm sorry." Persephone said, genuinely. "You know. If it wasn't for Aphrodite, I wouldn't be. . . this right now. She got jealous of me and. . . well it's a long story."

"Aphrodite . . . got. . . jealous." Ares said slowly. He looked at her again. A plan. . . a rough messy plan like the scribbles of paper on his desk began to form. "She . . . got. . . jealous." He stood up and paced. "This. . . this could be something."

"What could be. . . what?" Persephone asked, confused.

"I think we should date." Ares said.

"WHAT?" Persephone nearly fainted. "Um. Ares, you got the wrong idea."

"No-no. I think we should pretend to be dating." He clarified, waving a hand in front of him. "Aphrodite will get so jealous she'll beg me to come back to her. And Hades…"

"Will realize what he's missing." Persephone finished. She templed her hands together. She thought for a long hard minute. Imagining the look on his face when she brought her new boyfriend into work to show him around. When they went to a party, he'd have to see her hand in someone else's. "I'll do it." She said standing up and holding a hand out.

"This could easily backfire." Ares warned.

"I know."

"This may not work."

"I know." Persephone nodded, her hand still hanging in the air. "But like you said. What's the point in crying. We have to do something. We have to keep fighting."

Ares gripped her hand and shook it vigorously. "Alright, love. Now let's talk battle plans."


	2. Contrasts

War and Peonies

**Chapter 2**

Contrasts

* * *

War and warm breeze strode into the ballroom side by side. The blaring trumpets fizzled out to a sad bleat and the tambourine fell to the floor in syncopation. The gorgan singer held onto his high note until he turned. The room grew quiet as the next esteemed guests made their entrance. Like spring spiders hatching from their egg, silence broke out into murmurs, spreading through the crowd. At best, for the swell of attendees, the celebrity coupling was just fun gossip.- _What side are you on?- It's kind of cute. - They're complete opposites. - They're both children of the High 6.- She's too young. - He's too much of a scoundrel. - She's not his type. - I thought she didn't like men?_

The people who didn't know them, could look from afar and whisper harmlessly. Their echoes bounced off Ares and Persephone, never touching them, but it knocked over those affected most by the rumors like a sledgehammer.

Hades gripped his right elbow, unable to look away. His method of dealing with pain was always leaning into it. Letting it burn until he couldn't feel anymore-when his emotions were effectively charred to a crisp. _That_ and drinking.

But jealousy was a different monster all together. Fire only made it stronger. It's a remarkable thing he didn't singe his dress coat with the embers of envy.

Ares jingled as he swaggered towards the King of the Underworld and his brothers, medals clanking against his naval military regalia. Also in white, Persephone's flowing light dress let pink skin peep through in strategically placed cutouts. Though their outfits matched in color, they didn't match in context. Her dress swayed with her curves, fluid and tender; His regalia was stiff, constrictive, and modest. Even their movement, his loud and commanding and her's like a whisper on the air.

Like grabbing at poison, Hades zeroed in on her hand in his. Her pink and Ares' red clashed in unsettling ways, but they seemed so comfortable together.

_Opposites._ Hades sipped on his scotch, drinking in an entirely different kind of toxin. In his head he created a list of all their differences, all the reasons they shouldn't be together. Then, cutting into himself, he circled all the things that applied to him too. Too big. Too old. Too calloused. Too emotionally unavailable. Too many scars. This was a terrible crushing game. Mentally, he scraped and balled the list up. But it wouldn't stop invading his thoughts. What would it look like if that was _his _arm— If that were _his_ hands around hers? Would it look just as ridiculous? If she accepted Ares. . . then would it really be too farfetched for her to see—

Persephone waved at him. "Hey. I didn't think you'd be here." She seemed genuinely pleased to see him. Hades couldn't think of any reason why.

"Well." He was surprised his voice remained even and calm while his thoughts growled viciously. "I wasn't going to, but Poseidon promised he would pay me back his debts, if I came." The strip club he broke, the car that he crashed, the boat that he wrecked, and that one time he bought into a pyramid scheme.

As if on cue, Poseidon bounced towards them. "ARES!" He greeted boldly. "Good gods, it's been too long. This guy. Ooooh, this guy." He punched Ares in the stomach. "This is MY dudE!"

Ares barked out a laugh. "It has been too long. I've been itching for another collaboration." His eyes glinted red with bloodlust.

"Hang on, is that the uniform you wore back in 65?" Posiedon eyed approvingly at his naval regalia. "Man. That was a good one."

"It took all this time just to get the stains out." Ares flexed involuntarily. "It really was a good one."

Hades turned an eye of betrayal on his brother. Poseidon caught his eye and raised his eyebrow then—

Poseidon turned to the little lady on Ares arms. "Holy shit." He clapped his hand to his face. "Persephone, right? We've never formally met."

Politely, she bowed her head and held out her hand.

"Come on. We're practically family." Poseidon swung Persephone up into the air, ripping her out of Ares grasp. "Aren't you a lovely little angel fish." He admired her for one second too long.

Persephone laughed nervously as she was set back on her feet. All these men were so big. And so strong. And she wouldn't trust most of them as far as she could throw a flat piece of papyrus into the wind. "It's nice to meet you." She said to Poseidon. "Thanks for inviting us to your party." She then motioned for Ares to lean his head down. "I'm getting drinks. What do you want?" She whispered intimately into his ear, while catching Hades glance out of her peripherie. Something inside her jumped, felt guilt, and buried deep back into her core again.

"Whatever's on tap." Ares shrugged. "I'm not fussy."

"Alright. Behave while I'm gone." Persephone made sure _he_ was watching while she grabbed Ares' tie and kissed the scar on his nose.

Poseidon whistled as Persephone broke away from Ares' side like tides receding from the shore.

"How in Atlas's name did you manage to pull that off?" Poseidon asked, jutting his chin towards her direction.

Ares looked over his shoulder to see Persephone twirl around to blow a kiss towards him. "Ah, you know me, Posy." He smirked as she disappeared into the crowd. "I see it. I want it. I have it."

Behind them, glass shattered. Scotch spilled on the floor.

* * *

Persephone made her way to the bar and leaned across the sticky counter with her elbows. "Hi!" She beamed up at the satyr bartender. "Can I get two. . . _drinks?_"

The satyre set the bar towel across his shoulder and raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

"Oh um." Persephone pursed her lips. "I'll have one beer and one. . ."

A large pink presence eclipsed her view. "She'll take an amaretto sour and a dark stout." Eros ordered for her.

"Hi, Eros!" Persephone sighed in relief. "Gee, I'm glad to see you."

"Hey, cinnabon." He grinned down at Persephone from ear to ear like a cheshire cat. "Or should I call you 'mommy'?" He rose an accusatory eyebrow. "I've always wanted a wicked step-mother."

Persephone internally screamed. "It's none of your business."

Eros gasped ostensibly. "None of my business?" He scoffed, at the upmost peak of offended. "None of my, Eros, the god of love and sexual desire-NONE of my business."

Persephone clicked her mouth, an unfortunate habit she picked up from Hades she couldn't shake.

Eros continued while pushing the amaretto sour her way. "I mean, I'm a little hurt. As a love god, my father and my best friend meeting behind my back. Going on dates?" He leaned down and stared up at her with huge pitiful puppy dog eyes. "Do I mean nothing to you?"

Persephone threw her hands up. "Oh my gods, Eros. Fine! We're trying to make other people jealous by dating and rubbing it in their faces."

"REALLY!" Eros squished his face in both of his palms, his feet hovering above the ground. "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY SO!"

* * *

"You alright there, mate?" Ares leaned around Poseidon to see Hades shaking his hand out. The broken glass at his feet.

"Oh, I've never been better." He said as dully and evenly as he could. "I wouldn't worry about me." He said with a hint of a threat behind his teeth.

Ares perked up. "Oh?"

Hades stood up to Ares looking at him eye to eye. Ares felt the tension in his gaze and met it. A battle of wills. Appraising each other and seeing which one would lose first.

Suddenly, something dimmed in Hades eyes and the king of the underworld stared down at his shoes and blinked. Holding his hand to his forehead. "Actually, Ares. I could use a hand."

"Sure thing." Ares puffed his chest up and walked over to the broken glass. But before he could raise back up, Hades hand caught his arm in a grip so tight it would have strangled a mortal.

Hades leaned down sinisterly and opened his mouth to whisper. A threat so vicious it would skin a cat pooled just behind his teeth. The power of which was so tangible Ares could already feel it. But then, once more Hades swallowed it down and turned his eyes down.

Persephone bounded back up them with drinks in their hand. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

Hades cleared his throat and dusted off Ares shoulder. "Yes. I just dropped my glass. And Ares was being very helpful." He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Oh, that so sweet." She moved to Ares side and handed him the stout. A shaking red hand grasped the ale. Persephone lifted her eyebrows. Was Ares sweating? His face seemed flushed.

"I'm not sweet." Ares tried to rebuff Persephone's obvious insult at him, but his voice came out in a squeak.

Hades suppressed a smile. At least he had one small and insignificant victory tonight.

"Hades, do you need another glass?" Persephone offered. "I can go back down-"

"No." Hades held his hand up. "I'll get another drink myself. Thank you." He sounded tired.

"Hades!" Posiedon called for him. "Oh for the love of Gaia." His brother chased after him.

Persephone bit her lip as she watched Hades speed away. She sighed when the crowd eclipsed him from view. "I don't know if this is working." She grumbled.

"I wouldn't be too sure." Eros landed lightly next to her, watching the whole thing from above. "Hey dad." He called lightly without even looking at his father.

"Uh, hey ding bat." Persephone turned crossly to the rose colored boy. "The guy I'm trying to make jealous just left." She sighed again, frustrated that their plan was falling apart. "This is pointless."

"Oh yeah?" Eros grinned at her. "Then why is my dad on the verge of hyperventilating?" He nodded to Ares who was still catching his breath. "And Hades didn't even have to say a word to him."

"Wh-"

Eros patted Persephone's head. "This is fun." He popped a bar peanut into his mouth. He liked to think this was a form of therapy and reality entertainment combined. "Now let's get my mother angry."


	3. Look the Part

**War and Peonies**

**Look the Part**

* * *

"Alright." Persephone hyped herself up. "You are strong. You are brave. You are not to be…" Persephone's voice faded. "trifled with." The reflection in the mirror didn't seem so convinced. Her hair began to unfurl from it's pins as it grew. Wisps kissed her neck and fly-aways caught the light of the bathroom mirror. Her reflection eyed down at her feet and she found herself wondering if he'd already left. If the headlights shining on the reflecting lake outside were cast from his car leaving the grounds. Or if he was already passing the barrier back into the underworld by now. "Pfft." Persephone shook herself out, blowing a strand of hair that had fallen from her updo off of her forehead. "Whatever."

This wasn't about him. She inhaled sharply. She wasn't going to chase after him anymore, waiting on his every word, dreading the hours between their glances. Pathetic. Persephone straightened her shoulders.

She moved towards the door and swung it- two inches before a hand pushed it back.

"Hey." Persephone scowled. Eros barred her exit. "This is the ladies room." She accused with a righteous finger pointing at his chest.

"Gender is a construct."

"You can't stop me from leaving." Persephone dared.

"Oh?" Eros raised his eyebrows.

"I'm only doing as you asked." She continued. "Part of the plan, remember." Ares' girl, Aphrodite was somewhere on the grounds. Ares had his turn already tonight. He was also somewhere, still reeling from whatever fear of death Hades had subtly and not so subtly imparted. Now it fell to Persephone to uphold her end of the bargain.

Eros crossed his arms casually and leaned his back against the exit. "You're not going anywhere-"

"Bu-"

"-looking like that." Eros finished. He spun Persephone back around to the mirror. "You're not just up against some fuddy duddy old god who is desperately lonely." He started unpinning her hair, holding the bobby pins in his mouth while gathering her hair up in his other hand professionally. "You are up against my mother." He re-fastened a pin, digging into her scalp. "The goddess of desire." another pin. "Of sex." Another pin. "Of beauty." Another pin. "The goddess of love." Eros grabbed her arm sleeves and ripped them from the seams on her shoulders.

Persephone jumped but Eros continued on. "And you want to make Aphrodite jealous?" Eros smirked and brought his face up to hers. Their reflection cheek to cheek. Hers uncertain. His absolutely wicked. "Honey, you're gonna have to look the part."

Persephone gulped.

* * *

Hera glanced down from the bottom of her glass. Seeing the figures below strained against the remaining droplets of alcohol. Interesting. She raised the glass to the ceiling and let the remnants drip into her mouth. Very interesting. She dropped the glass, but before it shattered to the ground it fizzed out of existence and her cigarette popped magically in between her fingers.

She didn't even turn to see Posiedon barreling up the steps towards them.

"How's it going?" He knocked fists with Zeus.

"We're just leaving." Hera suddenly spun and pulled on Zeus' tie.

"What-" Zeus protested but then her lips crashed along his and he melted into her arms, completely undone. He could resist her nothing when she was like this.

"But you guys just got here." Posiedon said deflated. "First Hades leaves, before he could even bother me about my payments. Now you two." He grumbled.

Zeus pulled back just a moment to study the light in Hera's eye. "I know that look." He growled and then kissed along her jawline. "Who are you murdering this time?"

"No one." Hera batted her eyelashes, innocently, but then eyes shifted dangerously. "Can't a woman just want to be home with her husband? You look so dashing." She pulled on his lapel. "I like getting dressed up with you." She whispered into his neck. "I like undressing you more." Her tongue flicked out and tickled his earlobe.

"Oh sweet Atlas's shoulders." Zeus blinked.

"Am I chopped liver!" Posiedon roared. "I put on this huge party. That was a lot of effort and time. Working long hours. So that my family could all be together-"

Zeus raised his eyebrow, pushing Hera just an inch away, but holding her steadfast along her waist. "You didn't lift a finger for this party, and don't you try to deny that. I have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Pressing matters to attend to." Posiedon mocked Zeus' voice. "Indeed! Pressing into Bunny isn't really-"

"One more word and I'll turn both of you into blades of grass and mow you down." Hera rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, Bunny. I forgot myself." Posiedon shrugged, not taking it too seriously.

"Please excuse us." Hera grabbed Zeus hand and dragged him down the stairs. Zues followed excitedly. Once they reached the landing, out of earshot from everyone else, Zeus spun Hera around till she faced him, and pushed her against the wall. He pinned her with his arms seductively and lowered his head to brush his lips to her brow.

"Now tell me," Zeus eyes' looked hungry. "What life are you destroying now?"

"What?"

"I know that look." Zeus kissed her forehead and leaned his body against hers. "I love it when you fuck shit up with other people. It's my weakness." He twisted her chin up, and kissed her throat. "So why do you need to leave the party so soon? It's not even 1am."

Hera blushed and looked fondly at her silly husband, enjoying his attention. "Because," She sighed and gasped when his hands fondled along her backside and pinched her bottom. "Because I need to get home in time to make a dramatic scene."

"Oh." Zeus laughed. "What kind of dramatic scene?"

"Catching someone in the act of sneaking in." She hissed.

Zeus went rigid and his eyebrows furrowed. "You mean, the wait in the dark and then turn the light on - scene?"

Hera nodded into Zeus chest.

"And-" Zeus gulped. "And this. . . isn't directed at me." He wanted clarification. He knew that playbook from firsthand experience.

"No." Hera answered. "I've got a bone to pick with someone else this time." Hera smirked and Zeus kissed her wildly.

"Gods thats the sexiest thing I've ever heard." He picked her up into his arms and carried her back into their car.

* * *

"There she is." Ares booming voice shot out into the crowd like a round of ammunition. The closest ones flinched before turning around to the God of War dressed in his old white naval uniform, a curl hanging down his forehead. He looked dashing. Maroon shoulder epaulettes dangled out across his thick upper arm and a sash of high honor wrapped around his barrel chest. For all intents and purposes, he was dressed as a highly decorated war hero, but the light in his eyes and the scars across his face gave him away. Underneath it all: A boy with a face one would see swinging down haphazardly from the tallest tree, carefree and spirited. A boy wearing clothes not meant for him. The face of a young soldier too green to understand what life is, but old enough to take it. He would forever resemble the age of his most ardent worshippers.

Aphrodite felt his presence before she saw him. A passion and energy radiated from him. Frightening, wonderful, and charismatic. The kind of aura that made men follow him into battle.

The kind of aura that made Aphrodite follow back to him time and time again.

She softened at her place by the bar, completely tuning out the minor god in front of her, blabbering about some folk town in the mortal realm. All she could hear was the heart beating in his chest. A war drum in and of itself. Each beat strengthening the swell to keep pushing forward. _March on. March on. March on._ M_arch on over my way. _

Aphrodite swung her hair to one shoulder and held her hand carefully to her face, seductively, like she'd practiced. She knew all her angles. All the best ways to feature herself, depending on the lighting and the length of her neckline. Everything she did was for the benefit of those who viewed her. But Ares had been away so long. His gaze was the only attention she craved now. Those wild eyes. A thrill ran down her spine at the thought of it.

"Sorry about the other night." Aphrodite sighed innocently.

He approached closer. Ba-dum. His heart tapped. Ba-dum, hers answered back.

"I've been looking everywhere for you." He said with a fervent smile, wading through the crowd.

Aphrodite tossed her hair back, "Is that-"

And then Ares moved passed her. Not even a glance in her direction. Like she was a lost shade and he saw through her completely, taking her breath along with the wind as he went.

"-so." Aphrodite choked. Watching like some horror show, Aphrodite couldn't blink as Ares bent down to the floor and spun a woman by the waist to his direction.

He picked her up effortlessly. "Persephone, where have you been?"

Aphrodite's frozen expression melted down into a simmer. The new goddess. Aphrodite had never been formally introduced with her. She'd only heard the name. Only seen her wasted in her sons arms in the dark parking lot. This. This was the goddess that made Hades disrespect her. The goddess that would so call put her to shame.

"Did you miss me?" Persephone laughed and then bent at the waist, still held up high in the air by Ares hands there, and kissed his forehead just below his curl. A long slit in the side of her dress, revealing petite and curvy thighs. Ares rough hands on her delicate and exposed pink small of her back. As he set her back down on the ground, one of his hands lowered over her curves and his other raised up the side, his finger tips just barely grazing the side of her breasts. Persephone laughed and swatted at him playfully, but she didn't move away from his touch.

Aphrodite rose to her feet, compelled. This wasn't Ares type. Ares wanted danger and risk and how on earth could the goddess of spring keep his attention?

As Ares whispered something into her ear, Persephone tilted her face and Aphrodite could see fully now the face of the woman she would be turning into a statue by the end of the evening.

Persephone's eyes were rimmed with dark smoky charcoal. She bit her lip, colored in deep red. When she kissed Ares on the forehead, the stain matched his skin completely. She adjusted her top after Ares had messed with the sheer tight fabric, that molded to the peaks and valleys of her breast. No bra shielded the hint of her stiff nipples against the sheer fabric.

Aphrodite's jaw dropped. Ares was a boob man. _This. . . this little goddess. . ._ Aphrodite's eye twitched.

It was then that Persephone looked up from her embrace and caught the goddess of love's eyes. She smirked, keeping eye contact while Persephone whispered something in Ares ear. Ares burst out laughing and Aphrodite shook.

"Pig farts?" Ares rose his eyebrow at the goddess of spring.

"What?" Persephone shrugged. "I had to think of something to whisper into your ear seductively.

"Oh, Titans below." Ares smacked his face. "Are you sure your problem with getting Hades has nothing to do with your game?"

"Game?" Persephone rose to her tip toes to try to stare into his eyes. "I have plenty of game."

"Shh." Ares whispered and leaned closer to her. "She's still watching." Ares wrapped her arm around Persephone's back and then leaned his lips into her hair to her ear. "And perhaps we should change our sparring lessons to flirting lessons."

"Oh, I think I'm doing pretty well, don't you?" Persephone leaned against him, pushing her cleavage closer with her arm, licked her lips slowly, hungrily.

"Uh." Ares short circuited.

"What the Tartarus is happening!" Aphrodite stomped her foot on the ground appearing like a shadow behind them.

"Aphrodite." Ares blushed and turned. "My, my. Been a long time, huh? Did you miss me?" He said with the air of a pirate.

Aphrodite's obvious anger subsided, dimming down into a fake unconcerning shrug. "Miss you?" She cleared her throat. "Oh, have you been gone? I didn't even notice."

"Really?" Ares raised his eyebrow, his mouth going dry. "Well, I figured as much after I texted you that one evening. How long ago was that?"

Aphrodite answered quickly, "Two nights ago." She crossed her arms. "Or something. I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention."

Persephone smiled and turned away. Not paying attention. She tittered.

"Ah, well. It's a good thing you weren't home and were otherwise occupied." Ares stretched his arms out and then wrapped one around Persephone's shoulder. "Otherwise, I might not have run into this little beauty."

Aphrodite balled her fist up.

"Have you met?" Ares pulled Persephone forward.

"Yes."

"No." Persephone shook her head.

"Oh. That's right." Aphrodite huffed. "You were black out drunk." Her voice turning into venom. "You know, that little goddess isn't as innocent as you want her to be." She shook out her hair.

"My name's Persephone."

"She drunkenly got in the king of the underworld's car and stayed the night with him." Aphrodite recalled while pulling out her lipgloss and refreshing. "It was all over the tabloids."

"That's an interesting version." Persephone rolled her eyes. "Seems to have some gaps in it."

"I didn't realize." Aphrodite stepped closer to Ares, pushing passed Persephone. "That you liked women like that."

Persephone raised her hands up. "You do realize I'm standing right here?"

"Like what?" Ares took the bait and leaned in. "Like you?"

Ares and Aphrodite stared at each other, intensity, anger, passion, yearning held up and focused into their gaze. Years of desire. Moments spent tied up in fields, under sheets as rough as barley and linens as smooth as silk. Gentle mornings and wild nights. Fights that lasted years. Make ups that lasted longer. He was the sand and she was the tide, pushing and pulling, away and back again. Forever locked in something more powerful than their own willpower.

Persephone felt the heat waves coming off from them and inched away. Persephone was reminded of their first encounter. Ares was always angry. Emotions ran too high like flames consuming a burning house. She stood too close and could feel the heat of the fire.

As she stepped aside, the movement, a cool spring breeze shook Ares out of it. "Good thing you're full of it. Persephone isn't like you at all." He grabbed her hand up into his roughly. "I'm glad you rejected me." Ares shrugged his shoulder. "I can finally move on."

The tides crashed angrily behind Aphrodite's eyes. "Move on?" She hissed.

Ares smiled. "I know you, Ditee. You aren't the settling type. Who would you have hold you down in matrimony? I know when the war is over." Ares chuckled. "Enjoy the rest of the party, Ditee." He eyed the minor god she had been talking to. Unease in the man's upper lip. "He seems _nice_." Ares commented, knowing full well that Aphrodite didn't like _nice_.

Ares walked backwards, pulling Persephone with him, then spun around, his back to her. And Aphrodite heard the beat of his heart like a wardrum. Each beat strengthening the swell to keep pushing forward. _Move on. Move on. Move on._ M_ove on._

She watched them disappear into the crowd. Her body frozen in space. What did he mean the war was over. Ares never backed down. He fought until every last man. Is he giving up? Aphrodite made her mind up suddenly. He may be a coward, but she wasn't. She was unrelenting.

_Move on._"Oh fucking pits of Tartarus with that shit." She pulled out her phone and dialed Eros' number. As it rang she felt the phone jostle in her shaking hand. It went to voicemail. "Even my son has betrayed me!" She cried out angrily.

The minor god came to her side. "Is everything alright? Can I do-"

"Who even are you?" Aphrodite spun to him. "Go. Get out of here."

"But ma'am-"

"MA'AM?" Aphrodite seethed.

"I meant that respectfully." He flinched.

"Then respectfully get out of my sight!" She screeched. A hand wrapped around her arm. "I said GO!"

"Momma." Eros didn't move as Aphrodite tried to thrash him off her. "It's me."

"Eros." Aphrodite looked at her son with a moment of vulnerability. "Ares-"

"I know." Eros hugged her.

"What do I do?" She said, unsure.

"So he's with another girl." Eros shrugged. "Big whoop. You've never been exclusive. Don't see what the issue is now."

"I didn't think." Aphrodite bit her lip. "I didn't realize. . .that's. . . what he wanted."

"Is that what you want?" Eros tilted his head.

"I want him back." Aphrodite sniffed.

"To release him again when you're bored?" Eros rose his eyebrows accusingly.

"What's with the moral compass all of a sudden?" Aphrodite pointed at his chest. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"I would love to, if I knew which side that was." He huffed. "You know I would do anything for you. Anything you ask."

Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "Only because I have your precious Psyche."

Eros flinched, anger tightening the muscles in his neck, before he controlled himself. He pushed it aside or fear that this would all crumble away. "Is it that Ares is with someone that has you so vexed, or is it that he is with Persephone?"

Aphrodite shifted on her feet. "I don't care about her." She lied. "It's not like she has a gorgeous rack, and petite perfect feet and hips that, wish they could be mine. That's nothing. Doesn't bother me that she's. . . so. . . "

"Ugly?" Eros guessed.

Aphrodite hit him. "Don't lie to me, boy. It's not a good color."

"I only meant-"

"If she's ugly, then that means that I'm merely attractive."

Eros gasped, horrified. "I would never insult you like that."

Still her self confidence was rocked. "Do you think I'm too tall?"

"No." Eros agreed. "Momma, why are you comparing yourself to her?"

Aphrodite crossed her arms and her grip tightened around her elbows. "Ares surprised me tonight. He-." Aphrodite pursed her mouth shut unable to continue.

Eros sighed. "I could make Persephone fall in love with her reflection."

A smile curled her lip up."That's a good one." Aphrodite nodded.

"Oh, I could make her fall in love with the wind."

"Can you?" She raised her eyebrow.

"No." Eros shook his head. "No, but that would be interesting."

Aphrodite snorted and she let Eros press her into his chest. A soft hug between mother and son. Whatever their disagreements were, Aphrodite was his rock.

"I could make her hate him." He said carefully over the top of her head.

She pulled back for a moment. "Hate?"

Eros shrugged. "New arrow I've been able to pull from my quiver. Recently." He gulped a little.

His mother touched his cheek gently. "Why do you have _hate_?"

Since betrayal sliced into him deeper than any knife wound could have. Eros shrugged again. "I suppose I'm more like you and my father than you wanted me to be. Have I disappointed you again?"

Aphrodite looked down. "Eros, I don't want you to do anything." She said weakly. "For one thing, it's forbidden to play with a fellow god's heart. Damn Hera and her-" She cut off. A lightbulb popped

"Her what?"

A smile grew on her lips. "No that's it." She turned towards the entrance. "Hera."

Eros flew over to her as she sped towards the exit. "What do you mean?"

"I don't need magic or power to get Ares." Aphrodite scoffed. "I don't even need seduction techniques or liquor."

Eros wings clipped a chandelier and he bumped into the shoulder of a giant. "Sorry." He apologized and ducked back down meeting Aphrodite at the door. "Momma."

"Think about it." Aphrodite spun on her heels. "He even said it himself."

"Said what?"

Her eyes flashed in the street light. "Matrimony."

* * *

**AN: Eep! I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

**xoxo Goldie**


	4. Stamina: Part One

War and Peonies: Battle Plans

**Chapter 4: Stamina**

**Part One**

* * *

Hera sat on a lounge chair by the foyer. Her back straight against the cushion, upright and stiff. He head turned to the side, with her hands on the arm rests. Waiting. The hallway was dark. Streaks of moonlight shinned in from the windows, casting pale rectangular glimmers on the floor, not bright enough to lessen the other shadows in the room. Hera waited.

The car driving past. It's wheels on the road. The queen of the gods grinned. Headlights flashed through the window. And then vanished again out of earshot.

She slumped momentarily into the couch and rolled her eyes. How long was she going to have to sit here. She pulled a hand to her forehead. Oh, the woes of a dramatic scene. She truly did suffer for her art. Slyly she pulled her phone out from her bra. The bright skin illuminating her golden features in the dark.

"Hello, son." She read off her notes. She cleared her throat, pressed her phone to her chest and looked up at an invisible point on the opposite wall. "Hello, son." She said in a deeper voice. She shook her shoulders and straightened her back. "Hello, son." This time with more inflection on the 's'. Content enough, she shrugged and pulled her notes back up. "Didn't think to let us know you were back in town, did you?" Was that too whiny? "Would have prefered to have it announced that you moved back in, instead of finding your bowl of cereal left out in the kitchen."

Hera sighed. "Not powerful enough." She deleted the first two bullet points on her notes. She started from the top again. "Hello, son. Fancy meeting you here." She nodded to herself in the dark. "Then he'll say something like, 'ma, i live here.' and I'll say, Oh do you now? Well, we haven't heard from you in four months. Then all of a sudden I see your picture on the front page of a tabloid magazine saying that you've moved back to olympus. I have to stake out all night just to talk to my own son?"

Hera shook her head again. "Still too whiny."

"Pst!" A voice whispered through the hallway. "Has it happened yet?" Zues asked from around the corner.

"No." Hera crossed her arms.

"It's been three hours."

"I know!" Hera said exasperatedly. "I've been waiting here all this time."

"And I've been waiting on you, waiting all this time." Zeus emerged in a red silky robe. A frown on his face.

"I'll come to bed when I cross with words with your son."

"Our son." Zeus huffed. "Our only son."

"Oh, now you want to share children with me." Hera rolled her eyes.

"I didn't say anything about Hephaestus."

"You didn't have to. You hate him."

"You created him without me. You don't like him either and don't try to deny that."

"How dare you say that about one of my children."

"Look who is staying up all night just to have a minute of victorious glowering against _one of your children._"

"Our children." Hera spat back. "This one is yours too."

Zeus inhaled slowly. He breathed out a short laugh and wiped his forehead. "Gods, with you woman. You vex me, you know that. What has Ares done now?"

"He's lying to us!" Hera deflated onto the chair and Zeus came to sit on the arm. "He's been living in this house for two days and hasn't said a single word to us. Is off dating around with someone. Someone who would be a great match and he. . . He always talks to me about his girlfriends, always, and now there's radio silence. It's not like him. I don't like it."

"Hera." Zeus patted her arm and yawned. "Do you think perhaps the reason he hasn't told you about this new girlfriend, is that possibly, maybe, he really likes this one?"

"What does that mean?" Hera sent him a weathering stare, but Zeus was rubbing his eyes and didn't catch it.

"Well, everytime Ares goes on a fling, and he tells you about it. He. . . he kind of uses you as a buffer. You're so protective of him."

"Ares is a good man." Hera defended him.

Zeus tilted his head, suspicious.

"And he deserves the best."

"And you break it up. You find a fault. Expose it. And Ares moves on." Zeus said. "He uses that to get out of relationships. Honestly, it's pretty ingenious."

"Ah." Hera felt like she had been smacked in the face. "What-"

"Listen, bunny. All I'm saying is. Perhaps Ares is happy and doesn't want your interference this time.."

"And so he lies to me?"

"Because he's scared of you." Zeus kissed her hand. "Because you terrify every man." He kissed her wrist.

"Is that supposed to turn me on?"

"Is it working?" Zeus breathed onto her skin.

Hera snatched her arm away from him. "He should have been back by now."

"Come to bed, Hera." Zeus asked with tired eyes.

"Is that an order?" Hera stood up and crossed her arms.

"No." Zeus bit his lip and turned away. A sigh escaping his breath. "No, it's not."

"You know I can't stop." Hera patted his shoulder. Zeus was a fool, but she loved him regardless.

"I know, Bunny." He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry this evening isn't working out like you imagined." Hera was a nightmare, but he loved her anyway.

Tires on the driveway. Zeus and Hera both looked up. Hera didn't breath. Someone was coming to the house.

"Showtime?" He whispered.

Hera didn't answer but sat back down in the chair.

"Break a leg." Zeus stage whispered as he walked back down the corridor. Smack! He bumped into a wall in the darkness. "Oof. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Hera shut off her phone light. "Shut up, you nincompoop."

Hera sat in the darkness once again. Waiting. A voice outside in the garage murmuring something unintelligible. She strained her ears, expecting the footsteps to come up to the door. She placed her hands on the arm rest. Then she decided one hand should be holding a cigarette. When he walked through the door she'd turn on the lamp as he walked just past her spot so he'd have to turn back. Her insides squirmed. This is what she lived for. Every fiber of her being was a livewire. She could almost hear the door opening in her head. But only silence greeted her.

She waited a few more moments. Footsteps never crushed against the gravel. The door never opened.

She did hear a loud K-THUNK coming from behind her.

* * *

"Come on." Persephone hoisted Ares up through the air. It took extra effort to fly carrying the god of war's mass in her small hands, but she surprised herself at her own strength. "In you go." She moved the window up and guided Ares through. He tumbled, halfway through and crashed into a dresser.

"Ouch." Ares rubbed his head.

"Don't be a baby." Persephone delicately slipped in through his window. Leaving it open so that smell of dirt and blood wouldn't permeated the room. "It was just a bump."

"'_It was just a bump._'" Ares mimicked her.

"Very mature." She rolled her eyes and then sat on the ground next to him. "Don't." She warned, seeing him about to copy her. "Gods, are you always like this when you're drunk?"

He shrugged. "I'm always like this regardless. What are you like when your drunk?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I was only drunk once and I don't remember it." She lied. She remembered gentle hands removing her shoes. She remembered the way he pulled the covers over her, tucking her in. She remembered his promise to her when she cried. How he gave her water and didn't judge her for her state of distress.

Persephone sighed. "Maybe I do need flirting lessons."

Ares eyes popped open. "I can help with that."

"No." Persephone frowned.

"Come on. I'm pretty good." A rueful smile pulled on the corners of his lips. He remembered their dance at the party. He remembered how Persephone looked under the low lights.

"Not in the state that you're in right now."

"I'm not drunk. I'm fine." Ares waved.

"Really, then why did I have to drive your motorcycle home with you clinging to my back?" She asked. Not daring to ask why on earth he would ride a motorcycle to a party when he had a date, but swallowed that question for later.

"Because you wanted to!" Ares laughed. "You hounded me all night to ride my motorcycle."

"Yeah, and you only let me because you're inebriated."

Ares sighed. And leaned back again on the dresser. "We did good tonight."

"We did." Persephone grinned. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

Ares let Persephone pull him up to his held onto his forearm, after his wrist, and hoisted him up, having to raise her own arms above her head to get him to his full height. "You're strong." He muttered.

"You should know that by now. Remember when I punched you?"

"Yeah, I don't think we remember that the same way. I completely overpowered you."

"But I was pretty good though, right?"

"Eh." Ares shrugged. "It was alright for a goddess your size."

Vengefully, Persephone dropped his arm and he stumbled on his right side. But he caught himself and swung back up, quick on his feet. He grabbed Persephone's waist in one hand and grabbed her hand in another, as if they were about to dance.

"First lesson of love and war."

"Never let your guard down?' Persephone guessed.

Ares shook his head. "Know who you're up against." He pressed his core against hers, holding her to him. He began to lead her into a dance to the music that wasn't playing. The song in his head must have been the temp of a tango. Persephone thought to pull away from him, but he was kind of adorable like this. She bit her lip and followed his steps. Surprised at how agile he was in his state. She wrapped around him, joining him in a sultry performance to an audience of just themselves.

"Lesson two." He continued. "Be flexible." He suddenly stopped and dipped Persephone toward the ground. Her head tilted back, her hair falling down to the floor. She gasped. And then just as quickly rose her back up again. Her breath came out hot and jagged against his neck. His lips were at her hairline and he could taste the sweet scent of honeysuckle. He blinked but the haze wouldn't clear from his eyes. "Persephone." He breathed.

"Ares." She spoke but somehow the word didn't seem to come out of her lips.

He gulped and dropped his hands from her body. "You don't need lessons."

The door to his room creaked and they both jumped. Quickly Ares pushed Persephone under his covers and strode towards his door.

"Hello?" Ares called. "Someone there?" He poked his head out of the hallway looking both left and right. But not seeing anything. "Hebe, is that you?" He stood for a moment. "Huh. Guess it was just the wind." He closed his bedroom door again. Locking it in place with a metal click. "Weird." His shoulders shrugged up to his ears as he spun back around and dropped placidly at his side when he saw the Persephone shaped lump under his covers, curled up on her side. "Are you asleep?"

She shook her head slowly. "No." She answered sleepily. A yawn coming out of her as she spoke.

"Are you going to fall asleep?"

"Mhm." She hummed, not bothering to open her eyes. "Carrying you all the way up here wore me out."

"Lesson three." Ares picked Persephone's body up with one hand and scooted her over to the other side of the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and began to untie his shoes. "Work on your stamina."

"That's just for fighting though, right?" She mumbled into Ares' pillow.

"No." Ares chuckled. "Stamina is very important in matters of love as well."

Persephone blushed, imagining what he meant by that. Imagined if she was in Hades bed right now and it was Hades taking off his shoes and slipping under the covers next to her. She would need to work on her endurance. She squeezed herself tighter into a ball.

"You can sleep here tonight. I'm too drunk to take you home myself." Ares fit himself on the bed and lumped his pillow the way he likes it underneath his head. "But if you steal my covers I'll throw you out."

"I knew you were drunk. And noted." Persephone mumbled. Then her eyes shot open. "I have work tomorrow."

"I know." Ares yawned. "I set an alarm."

"You're going to take me, right?"

"That's the plan."

"Okay." Persephone lowered back down on his pillow and shut her eyes again.

"We're also gonna go for a run." Ares grinned up at his ceiling. "It's time we start really training you."

Persephone groaned and rolled over. She found herself with her head in the crook of Ares arm. He patted her, a smile still on his lips.

"What if this doesn't work." She whispered into his arm. Her voice tinged with sadness. Worry in her face.

"I don't like dwelling on outcomes that haven't happened. Otherwise I wouldn't get up in the morning."

They were quiet again. Slowly sleep overtook Persephone and she curled closer into the warmth of Ares. He sighed and so too followed Persephone into dreams.

A golden bird hopped up onto the windowsill and flew out.


	5. Stamina: Part Two

**War and Peonies**

**Chapter 4**

**Stamina: Part Two**

* * *

The sky had just lightened up enough to see the outline of Ares room. His flag outside flapped softly in the easy morning breeze. An alarm blared with the sound of a recorded trumpet. "Ack! Too early." Persephone reached for the alarm clock and slapped her hand down.

"Ow. Hey." Ares scrunched his face up after being whacked haphazardly by a pink hand on the nose. "What are you doing?"

"Oh. Sorry." Persephone opened her eyes forgetting where she was sleeping. Her body was pressed into Ares like he was a body pillow. "I was trying to hit snooze."

"Snooze?" Ares gasped. "No, no, no. That kind of attitude will get you killed. Come on, soldier, on your feet." Ares twisted out of Persephone's bind hastily.

"I'm not a soldier. And I can't be killed. I'm deathless and so are you, so let me sleep." Persephone pulled the covers up around her shoulders and rolled over to the wall. She nestled back into the pillow and closed her eyes.

Suddenly she was being swung in the air. The covers ripped out from her grasp and she was spinning on her feet in the middle of his room.

"I warned you. If you tried to steal my covers I'd throw you out."

"But it's so cold." She pouted. "I am a morning person, but it's still dark outside."

Ares tossed a sweatshirt at her. She caught it with her face. "Come on. You can borrow one of my sisters' sneakers. I think you'd be Eileithyia's size. I got some of hers and Eris'. Just uh." He scratched his head. "Just don't tell Eris about it."

"Whhyyyyyyyy." Persephone pouted.

"You don't want Eris on your bad side. Come on, comrade." He jumped up with too much energy for 5am. "Up and at 'em. Time to train."

"I didn't sign up for this."

"I thought you wanted to work on your stamina." He rose an evil eyebrow at her. "Today is easy. Just a quick 5K."

"What? I can't-"

"Can't is for quitters." Ares tapped her head. "Do I need to tie your laces up for you?"

"Noooo." Persephone grumbled and put on Eris' shoes. "How many sisters do you have?"

"Uh." He began to count on his hand. "I think five."

"You think?"

"I'm not always here, you know." He shrugged. "It would be very much like my parents to spring a new sibling on me."

"Do you have any brothers?" She asked while putting on Ares sweatshirt emblazoned with "Bootcamp '93" on the front. It smelled like boy. She scrunched her nose up, even though it wasn't all that unpleasant.

"I have one brother. Yes. Now stop stalling. Come on. We gotta get through the circuit and back in time to get ready for work."

"We? Are you going to work too?"

Ares flashed a grin. "I'm going to work with you. Figured it was time for an inspection. Actually Hades has invited me many times. Suppose now's a good time to take him up on his offer."

"Inspection?" Persephone didn't think this was part of the plan.

"Come on. Hup, two three four, get your ass right out the door." Ares pulled her to her feet.

* * *

Hera sat on the kitchen counter eyeing the blueberry muffins, still warm and waiting to be eaten in a woven basket sitting on a bed of checkered fabric.

"Good morning, momma." Hebe yawned, dragging her stuffed animal down the hallway. She sniffed the air and spotted the muffins immediately. "Oh!" She pulled herself up onto the counter and touched a few muffins before deciding on the one she wanted to eat.

Hera watched her eat it silently. Crumbs fell to the floor and then were smushed by her red socks when Hebe hopped off the counter.

"Can we keep her?" Hebe tugged on her mother's nightgown.

"Keep who?" Hera's eyes slitted.

"Persephone." Hebe licked some blueberry mush on her finger. "She's nice."

Hera twitched. "You've met her?" Hera had watched them run quite literally out of the house jogging up and down the street in the early morning light and heard Persephone digging around in the kitchen before they rode off again on his stupid noisy motorcycle.

"Mhm. She braided my hair yesterday and let me put glitter on her arms. And she makes muffins." Hebe ran up to the counter and took another one. "None of Ares' other girlfriends make muffins for us. Aphrodite's nice but he never brings her over."

"Hebe. You need to learn something." Hera bent down to look at Hebe eye to eye. "Never get attached. Don't set yourself up for disappointment."

"What do you mean?" Hebe said around a mound of her second muffin.

"The sun rises and the sun sets and so to goes the heart of a man."

"Momma," Hebe rolled her eyes. "You don't have to speak in riddles." She slurped up the rest of the treat. "I know Ares is a fuckboy."

Hera stood up shocked. "Hebe. Language."

"All I'm saying, is this one is nice. And she makes really yummy food." She spun around and skipped out of sight.

"Hebe, if you think I won't discipline you-" Hera sighed as her youngest child disappeared out of earshot. The queen slumped back to the counter. "Then you'd be right."

The sound of the doorbell rang through the house. A melodic classical tune that lasted 10 seconds too long. "What now?" Hera poked her head down the stairway to the foyer.

She peered through the glass door to see lavender hair tied up into a bun and a simple understated dress with a structured jacket. Aphrodite waved from the glass door.

Hera huffed and got her cigarette ready. "Yeah, that checks."

* * *

A loud roar, rivaling the growl of Cerberus, ripped through the streets of the underworld. A gorgon setting up her coffee shop sign yelped as something as fast as a bullet and as large as a cannon thundered passed and she fell on the concrete. Babies cried. Dresses flipped up by the displaced wind. Cars diverted onto the sidewalk to avoid the zig-zagging chaotic route of a motorcycle. The whole city seemed to erupt in car honks that blended out overshadowed by the wild engine that rumbled through the concrete jungle.

The rumble died in a soul squeezing screech. The motorcycle drifted, sliding on the pavement on it's side. The tires streaked black marks in front of Tower 1. The receptionists ran out from their desks to see what was causing all the commotion.

Casually, Ares hopped off the motorcycle. When he landed solidly on the ground, his dog tags bounced and clanked on his tight shirt. As he adjusted the collar of his black leather jacket, he winked at the girls ogling him. One of them fainted. He swiped a hand cooly through his hair, shaking it out after the wild ride. His hair cascading down, nearly touching his shoulders. His thick eyebrows knit together as he surveyed his surroundings through his mirrored aviators. He rolled a toothpick in his lips.

Persephone pulled on his ear. "What the fuck was that?" She struggled to unclip her helmet and tossed it into his chest.

"That, my love, was an entrance." He grinned ruefully at Persephone and bopped her nose before wrapping an arm around her shoulders territorially.

"I am never riding on a motorcycle with you again." She muttered under her breath, while she kissed up into his jaw.

"Come on, you had fun."

"To me, fun is sitting alone and reading." She leaned against his chest and they walked into Tower 1 together. "Fun is not nearly dying and disobeying traffic laws."

"You're deathless. And so am I." He called back snarkily, pointing finger guns at a giant in the waiting area.

"I may be deathless but that doesn't mean I'm reckless." Persephone straightened her shoulders.

"Ugh." Ares rolled his eyes. "Your goody-two-shoes schtick is so boring."

"It's not a schtick."

"Then you're boring." Ares huffed.

Persephone scowled. When someone came into view, her expression changed back into a doting girlfriend, before they left again, and she continued to glare at Ares.

"You know, it's completely okay to admit you enjoyed it. Nothing wrong with admitting that being bad can feel good." Ares grinned. "I'll keep your secret."

"What happened to Sir Commander of the troops and following orders."

"Pfft." Ares shrugged his shoulders, his leather jacket twisting along his muscles. He was playing the bad boy today and having fun with it. "I have many facets."

"My fist has many facets."

"Oh-hoo-hoo, Miss Kore." Ares eyes light with wild fire. "Look who's wielding their anger now."

"You look like an idiot wearing sunglasses inside, in a realm that doesn't even have a sun." Persephone grumbled.

He lowered his sunglasses just low enough to eye Persephone over them. He winked and she blushed involuntarily before folding her arms back across her chest angrily.

"That's why I wear 'em."

"It's a good thing this relationship is fake, otherwise I would have broken up with you by now."

Ares barked out a laugh.

Just then an angry voice bellowed through the foyer. "Who the FUCK parked their DAMNED motorcycle in MY spot?" Hades entered in, slightly out of breath. He turned to the receptionists who froze. The only thing that moved was their eyes towards Ares and Persephone.

Hades eyes narrowed. "Ah. Of course." He fiddled with his tie, tightening it too tight. He ground out his next sentence like grains against a mortar and pestle. "Thanks for bringing my intern to work safely."

Persephone huffed. "Yeah, safely." She rolled her eyes. Their ride in was as safe as a canary in the mouth of a coyote.

Ares snuck a glance her way, before addressing Hades. "Anytime, old sport." He patted Hades on the back a bit roughly and Hades nearly smote him into the ground. "But I'm actually here on official business."

"Oh?" Hades sneered.

"You kept asking me to inspect the river styx and the beach. Said it would give me perspective."

"That was over a hundred years ago."

"Well, I'm here now." Ares smiled up showing all his teeth. The ones he still had.

"Fine." Hades grumbled. "Hecate can show you-"

"Oh." Persephone stepped forward. "Hecate is far too busy today to show around a drop in. I can do it." She offered helpfully.

Hades took an intake of all his feelings. He tumbled with something in his head. Finally he opened his mouth, leaning down to Persephone's level. "No."

Ares licked his lips, understanding the intensity in Hades eyes.

"I'll escort him." Hades stood up again. "After all, it was my invitation." He turned to Ares. His face just faintly darkening. "It would be an honor to show you my realm of the dead."

Something soured in Ares stomach and he gulped.

"I'll be in the library." She announced to Hades. "Take good care of him." She winked at the King of the Underworld, emboldened by the man beside her, more irritated than anything. And neither man knew how to respond to that. "Lesson one." Persephone whispered into Ares ear. "Know who you're up against."

* * *

Aphrodite sat cross legged on the sofa. Hera sipped on her bloody-mary opposite her. "So." Hera started. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She eyed Aphrodite skeptically over her glass. "I thought you filed your Match-making report to me by email." After she striped Aphrodite and Eros power over gods away, they conducted their business virtually together. Aphrodite still had to report all their couplings to the goddess of marriage.

"No. It's not business." Aphrodite tapped her foot. "Well. It is. But it's personal."

"Oh?" Hera feigned surprise. She knew exactly why Aphrodite was here and there was nothing, nothing at all Hera could do about it, nor would she want to.

"It's about Ares." Aphrodite actually nervously fiddled with the hem of her dress. Something deeply troubling her.

"I see." Hera leaned back. "I assume this has to do with-"

"I changed my mind." The goddess of love pulled out a handkerchief and preemptively folded it in her lap. Fake tears welling up.

Hera smirked. They both knew how to play the game. She studied the theatrics for a moment before biting at the obvious bait. "Changed your mind?" She tilted her head curiously.

"I wasn't ready earlier. I didn't understand my true feelings. But I do now." Aphrodite hiccuped. "I was blinded by naivete but I'm older now and I- I've changed my mind."

_She's good._ Hera thought idly. "Go on." Hera tapped her fingers on the arm rest.

"You once offered your son's hand in marriage before." Aphrodite started slowly. "I'm here today. To ask if you would offer it again."

"My son?" Hera blinked slowly. "Yes." She nodded, remembering when she begged Aphrodite to marry. The goddess of love had been ruining marriages left right and center, traipsing over all her hard work and then at the end of the day, Hera returned home to still have her adult son annoying the living stew out of her, despondent over Aphrodite's many lovers. She knew that Ares and Aphrodite were more or less inseparable and thought to appease both their wild passions, but Aphrodite refused her offer.

But time had passed since then.

Things were different.

She eyed the kitchen. The basket of muffins on the counter. The smell of blueberries still permeated the air and the sweet violets that bloomed in her vases. "My son." Hera nodded.

"I've been a fool." Aphrodite admitted bitterly. "So. I come to you today humbly and, and ask for forgiveness for my behavior and to marry your son."

A golden light shined in Hera's eyes and a smile crept up her face. "You wish to marry my son?" She clarified.

"Yes. More than anything." Aphrodite teared up.

Hera tapped her finger again on the arm rest. "Swear it on the river styx."

Aphrodite looked up in shock. "You… you're hearing me out?"

"We've had our differences in methods, Aphrodite." Hera drew up velum and a quill. "If you wish to re-engage in my offer, you'll need to repeat after me and sign your name on this contract. It is soul binding and you will not be able to break it."

"I-I accept." Aphrodite burst out in a huge grin. "Thank you, Hera. Thank you."

Hebe grabbed a third muffin from the counter while her mother and Aphrodite talked on the couch. She skipped to the east wing and wormed her way up the steps of the tower. At the last step the door opened and a dark maroon hand pulled her inside.

"I did as you asked." Hebe tapped her feet together. "I told mom it was Persephone that made the muffins, and not you. Now can I please have my stuffed animal back. Mr. Bugsly needs to take his medicine."

"Sure, sure." Eris spun around in her desk chair and throw Mr. Bugsly at her sister. "Thanks, sis." Eris smiled and took off her dark colored glasses. Figures in the lens kept acting out uncertain visions like a hologram of mischievous possibilities.

"How's your plan working?" Hebe crawled up into Eris's lap and tried to grab her glasses before Eris swiped them out of reach.

"Oh, it's going horribly." Eris showed her teeth smile.

"Hold my hand and repeat after me." The Queen of the gods stood up.

"Yes. Of course." Aphrodite rose as well, her legs still shaking with a roller coaster of emotions. They clasped hands and a light wrapped around their hands, as cold as the dark river in the Underworld. Sacred and binding.

"I, Aphrodite."

"I, Aphrodite."

As they spoke the quill began to mimic the words they would bind into contract to the river styx.

"Shall wed in holy matrimony-"

"Shall wed in holy matrimony-"

Hera's lips twitched. "The son of Hera, Queen of gods and goddess of marriage."

"The son of Hera, Queen of gods and goddess of marriage."

"To forever be betrothed -"

"To forever be betrothed-"

"For long as you both shall live."

"For long as we both shall live."

The light faded from their hands and as Aphrodite pulled her arm away, her hand stung. She looked to see a drop of blood on her palm.

Hera offered her the quill. "Sign." She ordered. Aphrodite, heart full, and eager to rub it in that little spring goddess's nose, dipped the quill into the blood on her palm and signed her name into the contract.

"Perfect." Hera smiled from ear to ear. "I can't wait to tell Hephaestus the good news."

* * *

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**Thank you for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate to know what you guys think/if you want more. This particular chapter was a blast to write.**

**xoxo Goldie**


	6. Unfair

**War and Peonies: Battle Plan**

**Chapter 5:**

**Unfair**

* * *

Beaming up at Hera, Aphrodite nearly burst with happy tears. How could she have ever thought the Queen of gods was unfair or unjust? Hera was more than understanding she was. . .

Wait.

"Wait." Aphrodite touched the small wound of her solemn oath on her palm. "What?" She tried to replay the last few words Hera said. "Did. . . did you say Hephaestus?"

Hera turned around and fiddled with the plant in the corner, a power move to be so casually unconcerned. "I'm sure, judging by the state you came in, you'll want the proceedings to happen quickly. I can have you married by the end of the week." She checked her watch. "I could technically have you married by tomorrow."

Aphrodite clasped her hands together. ". . . to. . . Ares."

Hera watered the plant with a spray bottle leisurely. "No. My son, Hepheastus."

Aphrodite paled. "Hera, you can't be-." She paused for a moment. A chuckle erupted from her lips, and it grew until she was laughing so hard she had buckled over. "Hephaestus?" She cackled. "Whew." The goddess of love wiped her forehead. "You really had me going there. You know, no one really says that you're funny. But you are full of pranks. You had me. I thought for a moment you had made me agree to marry He-"

Hera turned dramatically. "Hephaestus." Hera said the name stonily, not betraying or giving into Aphrodite's mirth. "And you were right the first time. I'm not funny."

"But you know my history with Ares."

"Ares is taken."

"Oh please." Aphrodite rolled her eyes. "A fling doesn't hold any weight around here and you know that."

"You asked for my son." Hera sipped on her bloody mary. "I have more than one. Hephaestus is more my son than the other."

No." Aphrodite denied, a bit of anger beginning to coil deep into the pit of her belly. "You can't possibly believe that I would ever-"

"Ever what?"

The goddess of love snorted and sat back down the couch. "Come on, Hera. Not even you find Hephaestus appealing. He's. . ." Aphrodite shrugged. "I don't want to sound bitchy. . ."

"But it's never stopped you before." Hera angled her eyebrow, glee still held at bay in the smile on her eyes.

"I'm the embodiment of beauty." Aphrodite leaned back against the couch and laid her foot up on the coffee table. "I'm sex. And desire. People worship me and call their beloveds my name when their lust gets the better of them. You didn't think I came here begging to marry Hepheastus?" Aphrodite chuckled. "He's not exactly on my level." She said, a bit of a challenge in her tone. Egging on Hera to contradict her and argue on a point she knew Hera couldn't stand on. "I came for Ares."

Hera said nothing but sauntered up to the coffee table. After picking up the signed contract, she eyed Aphrodite through her eyelashes and dropped the paper into her lap. "Oops." Hera gleamed.

Aphrodite jumped up in fury. "Oops!? You mean. You mean-You tricked me!"

Hera shrugged meeting Aphrodite's intensity with a relaxed posture. "You should have read the fine print."

"Take it back." Aphrodite breathed through her teeth and shoved the contract to Hera's chest.

"Me? I wasn't the one that swore on the river styx."

Aphrodite gripped Hera at her shoulders. "I cannot marry Hepheastus."

"And yet." Hera tapped her lip look up at the ceiling. "You have to."

"You BITCH!" Aphrodite's grip turned into iron claws. Burning hot. "You fucking traitorous little bitch!"

Hera's growing smirk only caused Aphrodite to hurt Hera more. "Now, that's no way to treat your mother-in-law is it?"

"You're a fucking cow, Hera. And you've always been jealous of me. You think you're tough shit but you're just an ant and I could crush you. No one respects you. No one likes you. YOU FAT UGLY CU-

The lights flickered and static caused the ends of Aphrodite and Hera's hair to move in odd patterns.

"Enough." Zeus entered the room, his face a dark untempered mood. "Unless you want to spend your honeymoon imprisoned next to my father in Tartarus, you'll get your hands off my wife and your queen."

Aphrodite dropped away from Hera's shoulders and turned to Zeus for appeal. "Zeus, you don't understand what she's done. She's bound me in chains. Chains! I've done nothing wrong. She promised me-"

"To marry her son. Yes I heard. And you accepted. You should be grateful." Zeus crossed his arms and stood next to his queen. "To mary the son of the Queen of the Gods is a high honor. Hera has bestowed upon you a kindness and you treat her with evil." He rubbed Hera's golden shoulder comfortingly, knowing they must sting from Aphrodite's wrath. "Make that mistake again, Aphrodite, and I'll personally send you back from whence you came." The threat was not empty. Hera and Zeus were untouchable. Their words turned into law.

Aphrodite gulped. "Yes."

"Yes, what?" Zeus turned his ear to her.

"Yes, your majesty." Aphrodite said through clenched teeth.

"Leave." Hera ordered. "I'll send Hermes to take you to your husband later."

Aphrodite balled her fists to her side and bowed before spinning on her heels and taking off back out of the palace. Wild emotions played across her face once she turned from her king and queen. She could have run a thousand times around the world before she could outrun her emotions.

Two pillars of power,Zeus and Hera stood side by side as she left.

Then Zeus pinched Hera's butt. "Damn, that was remarkable." He dove in for a kiss, wrapping her in his arms.

"Still got it." Hera grinned into Zeus' cheek.

"What was that about chains?" Zeus eyes lit up.

"The chains of marriage."

"The ones you keep in your special drawer?"

Hera giggled. Pulling at the front of Zeus' pants, The Queen of the gods dragged her King this way up to their bedroom.

* * *

Hades strode into the station room with Ares at his heels. "The beach is beyond that door." The King of the underworld nodded to the large double doors above the the stairs. Ares came for an inspection and a tour of the Underworld. Ares hadn't been down here since he was a toddler in Hera's arms. He'd never come back despite Hades invitations. The God of War never wanted to see the other side, after the blood spilled into the ground, he washed his hands of it. Truth be told, he still didn't want to. Ares was still terrified of death and the king of their kind. But now, the leverage Persephone gave him, he felt a little more comfortable in his presence.

"Love a good beach." Ares cracked his knuckles and stepped up. "I'm a killer at beach volleyball."

"Hold it." Hades snagged the back of Ares leather jacket and pulled him back from the stairs. "It's not that kind of beach. And it's MR dress code." He pointed to the sign.

"Mortal realm dress code?" Ares huffed. "But they're dead!"

"Strict policy." Hades didn't let go of Ares jacket and pulled him to the side to the men's dressing room.

"But come on, this jacket is too good not to wear." Ares argued trying to free himself from Hades grip but he struggled, then slipped on the slick floors, only kept from falling by Hades grasp on him. He had planned his outfit accordingly, for maximum douchebaggery. Everyone loves a bad boy. He caught his reflection in the mirror and grinned. The mirror also reflected Hades' grimace and Ares smile grew even wider.

"Change." Hades ordered. "You can borrow one of my himations and peplos."

Ares finally freed himself from Hades' hold and walked further into the locker room, eyeing the titled floors and rows of lockers. "No need." The god of war turned suddenly to the king of the underworld, the holder of his fake girlfriend's affection. He shrugged out of his jacket cooly and tossed it on the bench behind him. Then keeping eye contact with Hades he lifted up his shirt, peeling the tight threads from his barrel chest up and over himself. He flex now, tightening his core, showcasing his six pack. His skin rippled with puckered scars and he wasn't ashamed of them. His dog tags rested between his mountainous pecs. The sculpted lines beginning on either side of his waist lead down and continued behind his tight black jeans. He took off his sunglasses next and paused. A challenge in the god of war's eyes as he met Hades'. "What? Are you shy?"

Hades clicked his mouth and turned towards his own locker, clicking it open. Hades with strong intention took off his suit coat. He eyed his reflection in his locker room as he unbuttoned the cuffs on his dress shirt. The red gems held in gold clanked as he set them down inside his locker.

Annoyed he unbuttoned his shirt. His fingers quickly working his shirt open. Eventually the fabric split apart to his bare chest. With sharp movements, he shrugged out and hung the shirt neatly. His broad shoulders riveling Ares. His muscles, toned, and strong, surprisingly built for the king of the underworld. Who knew all those tight muscles were hiding behind his suits and collars.

Ares sat on the bench and flipped off his boots. They bounced on the locks on the opposite end.

Hades grabbed one of his himations and turned back to Ares. "Here." He offered up the approved clothing to Ares.

"No thanks." Ares unzipped his pants and stepped out of them. The jeans lay crumpled on the floor. In just his boxes, Ares held his hands to his hips. As if daring Hades to think, how much of him had Persephone seen? How many square inches of his skin had her hands caressed.

Rolling his eyes, Hades threw the himation on the bench and then he started taking off his own belt. Sliding the leather out of the loops and coiling it neatly. He lined up his shoes one by one beside his cufflinks. He turned back to look at the confident Ares.

Suddenly, Hades grinned, understanding his game. Ares wanted a competition? Hades slipped off his slacks. Hades didn't need to play the game to win. Without hesitation, the king pulled off his boxers next. When Hades does play, he only does so if he knows he can win.

"What?" Hades cocked his head to the side in Ares direction. "Are you shy?" There was no competition anymore. Really, it was unfair.

"Alright." Ares nodded impressed. "I see what she means."

"What? What who means?" Hades began to pin up the peplos on his shoulder, not lingering in his own victory. It wasn't becoming to brag.

"Nothing." Ares shrugged. _He's going to be the death of her. _He chuckled to himself.

"Is that what you're wearing?" Hades arched his eyebrows and began to wrap up a himation around his neck, the border was woven in elegant designs. A gift from Athena herself. "It's a bold move but I'm sure the newly dead will love it."

"Nah." Ares hit his chest in a form of a salute. One the third hit, his fist hit a metal chest plate. The bronze cuirass was a perfect mold of his muscles underneath, even mimicking the scars on his skin with scraps in the metal. Thick leather strips covered his groin, giving him free movement for his legs. He was dressed for war. "Let's go to the beach." Ares flexed.

Hades pinned back his growing long hair. "Follow me."

* * *

"Oh my." Persephone fanned herself, the blush in her face causing a heat she wasn't expecting in the cold winter office.

"Persephone." Hecate opened the door. "What are you doing in my office?"

The goddess of Spring hopped off her chair and held her hands to herself caught red handed. "Nothing!" She lied.

Hecate then appeared behind her. "Looking at my security cameras?"

"Uhuh." Persephone nodded. The image of Hades backside in full view of the camera was imprinted on her mind. "Just checking up on. . . on things. You know, making sure-"

"Making sure your boyfriend is playing his part?"

Persephone gulped. "Playing his part?"

Hecate only stared back and let Persephone sit in silence until it became too uncomfortable.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Persephone tapped her fingers to her face, hoping the blush would subside. "There's nothing weird happening."

"Oh really?" Hecate leaned down and Persephone cowered back. She picked a blue violet off of the intern's hair. "How very interesting."

"Interesting?" Persephone gulped.

"And here I thought you and our king had something going on." Hecate blew the flower off into the air. "I suppose I was wrong about that."

Persephone slipped and knocked off one of Hecate's paper weights onto the floor. "I suppose." Persephone bent down to pick it up and set the paperweight back on the desk. "Besides, Hades has other more appealing options." Persephone frowned. Remembering the day she walked in on him and Minthe. Her fist tightened and strained her face.

"More appealing options?" Hecate tilted her head.

"Well, I mean, he's still seeing that. . . that one." She couldn't even say her name right now. "Even if there was something. . ." Persephone shrugged casually. "It's clearly not something. . . not something on his side."

Hecate's eyes glowed. "Well, I was going to give you something." A letter appeared in her hand, with Persephone's name written on the front in what was clearly Hades' handwriting. She held the letter aloft.

"What's this?" Persephone reached for the envelope but Hecate snatched it higher out of her grasp.

"If you're happy with Ares and there's nothing _weird _as you say going on, I think I'll just hold on to this."

"But it has my name on it." Persephone pouted.

"True." Hecate nodded. "Still, I'm not sure he intended for you to read it.

"Oh?" Persephone stared at the envelope, intrigued by what could be inside.

"Hermes delivered it to me. The messenger said Hades asked him to return a letter to me. But I think there was a mix up and he gave me this letter instead."

She could see it in her minds eye. A flustered Hades opening his drawer at home. His hand hovering over the right letter, the one Persephone had written to Hecate, and then the hands of fate pushing his fingers over and grabbing the other. Hermes just merely obeyed Hades' orders to take the letter to Hecate, though Persephone's name was on the front. He was always too scared of Hades to question him.

Hecate stood, alight with possibilities as she tapped the envelope on the corner of her lip slyly. "But, if what you say is true." Hecate hid the letter behind her back. "I'll just destroy it."

"No!" Persephone screeched.

Hecate smirked and leaned down to Persephone again. "Then tell me, spring goddess, what are you trying to do to our poor desperate king?"

* * *

Eros busied himself. He cleaned all the rooms in the house. Changed all the kids diaper. Helped his siblings homework. He then put on his best shirt and combed his hair back. Today was the day. He adjusted his quiver over his shoulders, deciding to wear them for the sobriety of the situation.

The door slammed open and Aphrodite stormed inside.

"Momma?" Eros rose from his seat cordially.

She ignored him and marched on to her bedroom.

"Momma, is everything okay?" Eros followed after her, keeping up with her easily.

"Everything is FINE!" Aphrodite shouted. "Why?"

"Well, uh." Eros pulled on his collar. "I was uh, I was hoping to speak to you today, but if now isn't a good time."

"It's a fucking great time!" Aphrodite threw her hands over her head. "It's PERFECT." She swung into her bathroom. A large heart shaped hot tub in the corner. Pretty glass bottles, some perfume, some make up, some skin care lined two shelves across the vanity.

"Do you want some food?" Eros winced.

"WHY?" Aphrodite leaned towards him. "You trying to say something about me?"

"No, no." Eros shook his head. Oh dear. All his planning. . .

"Then spit it out." Aphrodite folded her arms across her chest.

"I was hoping." Eros fluttered his wings out, nervously. "Well, I was wondering-" He paused. A bead of sweat dripping down his face. "What I mean is, I've given it some thought and-"

"Oh my godssss!" Aphrodite spit. "Just out with it already."

"Momma," Eros held the goddess of love's hands in earnest. "I've made many mistakes and I can't hold any anger for Psyche any longer. I'm-I'm still in love with her. Please, Momma. I would like a second chance."

Aphrodite froze. She considered his words. Reading his face. His genuine growth. It was true, he was the same immature reckless boy a few months ago. But then she barked out a laugh. "In love." She sniveled.

"Yes. I love her." Eros remained constant.

"What do you know of love?" Aphrodite turned away.

"Everything you taught me." Eros held her hands to him. "I want her back. I've made mistakes and I'm ready to atone for them. I love Psyche more than, more than anything else I can think of. I would do anything to get her back if she still wants to try again."

Aphrodite sighed. "Anything?"

"Yes."

The goddess of love, spurned from her own soulmate, dug her claws into Eros. "Then do me a favor, would you?"

"A-anything." Eros promised.

Aphrodite grabbed an empty glass bottle from one of the shelves above the vanity and thrust it into Eros' hands. "Fine. Take this and steal a drop of beauty from the Queen of the Underworld."

Eros paled. "The. . . Queen?"

"Yes. Do this for me, and you will have your precious Psyche back."

"But, momma." Eros hands shook. "There is no Queen of the Underworld."

"That's not my problem." Aphrodite hissed.

Eros' shoulders slumped. "Why?" A tear began to form in his eyes. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"You said you would do anything for Psyche." Aphrodite began to clean up the mascara that had smudged under her eye.

"But, momma." Eros stepped forward. "The task you set before me, to take something from someone that doesn't exist, it's impossible. This isn't fair."

Aphrodite scrubbed her face and patted dry on a clean towel staring at her reflection, knowing that soon she would be the wife to the ugliest god in the pantheon. "Life's like that. Get used to it."

* * *

Hecate dropped the letter into Persephone's hands.

While Hades showed Ares the process of receiving the dead, Persephone ran into the bathroom and closed the stall. She held the envelope like a precious treasure. When she was sure no one else was in the restroom, she flicked the the seal open.

_"Dear Persephone,_

_My therapist assigned me the exercise of writing letters of what _

_I would hypothetically tell others about what I'm feeling."_


	7. Thwick

_Last time on War and Peonies:_

_Hades and Ares had a bit of a size competition_

_Aphrodite, spurned by her matrimony to Ares brother, vowed to give Psyche back to Eros once he'd stolen a drop of beauty from the Queen of the Underworld._

_Persephone read Hades' therapy letter to her_

* * *

War and Peonies

**Chapter 7**

**Thwick**

* * *

Persephone set the letter down in her lap. Her blush spread like wild fire across her cheeks. She breathed out and back in. Tension held in her arms. She squealed and then picked the letter back up reading it over again. _"I have feelings for you." _She closed her eyes and clutched the letter to her chest, imaging the words spoken by him. Perhaps his voice at her ear, the smell of a cigar lingering on his breath. _"But I believe I should understand you much more than I currently do before claiming I'm in love with you." _She grinned again even at the mention of love. _"I'm terrified because your attention makes me feel so good." _Persephone wiggled so much she nearly kicked the bathroom stall door open. She read through the rest of the letter, laughing so much a tear welled up in her eye. Finally she stood up and slammed the bathroom stall open. "You stupid idiot!" She yelled at the Hades' that wrote this letter.

The elevator attendant who just flew into the bathroom stopped in their tracks.

"Uh. Sorry. Not at you." Persephone pulled herself together. She tried to point at the letter but the imp just stared even more confused. "Uh. Bye." She said while backing out of the bathroom.

"Are you not gonna wash your hands?" The imp judged.

"Oh, I didn't - I- it's not like- ." Persephone smiled like a crazed fool and ran out. She ran all the way towards the window she had originally smashed through and flung herself off once again, ripping through the "Do Not Cross" construction tape.

"Hey!" A gorgon carrying a new window pane yelled at her as she whizzed by.

She hovered in the air and screamed at the top of her lungs. "He's a big old dufus!" Her voice echoed against the rest of the towers. Her laughter echoed back. She flew up to the roof top and sat at the edge with her legs dangling off. Adrenaline was running through her so powerfully, she didn't even notice the chill in the air. She smacked her forehead and sighed, leaning back on the roof. "Hades, you big dummy." She laughed again, a mirthful giggle. The letter clutched to her chest. "Oh, we're both fools." Her breaths evened out eventually as she stared up at the dark forever of the underworld. To think she thought Minthe was someone he actually- She laughed again, nearing on hysteria. Persephone had been so worked up about her. Had been so angry. She'd been so jealous. And this whole time, Hades was only using Minthe to get over Persephone. She rolled onto her stomach. He even said it. He doesn't know if he wants Minthe or if he just felt guilty. The wicked green envy that had caught her in a forest fire the other day, smile with a sickly yellow flame now, twisting her lips up vengefully.

That's why he'd been trying to push her away. That's why he refused her gifts at first. Because, he's terrified of Persephone. Terrified of her absence so he tried to push her away on his own volition, thinking like a dumb stupid idiot it wouldn't hurt so bad if the cause of his destruction was at his own hands. Persephone held up the letter to her nose and tried to inhale the ink and paper into her body. "You stupid idiot." She sighed again. "My stupid idiot."

The yellow flame of envy flickered again. A new possessiveness she wasn't used to. Now that she knew of Hades' feelings. . . she couldn't go back. She couldn't pretend. All this sneaking around. All this trickery. All these games with Ares. She had thought it wasn't working. She had thought that Hades didn't care at all, but no. Hades cared. Hades cared too much.

The darkness of the underworld felt like a security blanket around her. "All so foolish." Persephone said aloud. She got up on her knees quickly and looked around. She decided it was time to do what she should have done all along. "Time to tell the truth."

* * *

Hebe climbed back up the stairs to the tower bedroom. She knocked their secret password on the door. But it was her mother who opened the door, not her sister, Eris. Hebe gasped. "Mom! I thought you went to work."

"Did you make your bed this morning? Did you brush your teeth?" The golden Hera leered down at Hebe.

"Y-yeah. I already told you that."

Hera pulled out her cigar. "How many times do I have to tell you not to go sneaking up to your sisters room?"

"I-I, I only just-." Hebe eyed her mother suspiciously. "Wait." She furrowed her eyebrows as she inspected something. Then Hebe grinned. "You forgot to stand like you have a rock between your thighs."

The golden goddess cackled, much like her daughter Eris, then spun and slouched back onto her desk chair. "Point taken. What else was I missing?" She pulled out a notebook and pen.

"What's in it for me?" Hebe crossed her arms.

"Think about it, little sis. If I can get a good Hera impression down, I can get you out of school anytime." The glimmer faded and the golden skin shifted back dramatically to Eris's dark maroon.

"Deal." Hebe held out her small hand and shook Eris pinky. "I want this in writing. Three school excuses a month."

"Two."

"Fine." Hebe nodded. "And you'll take me into see rated R movies with you."

"Only if you swear to secrecy."

"The works?" Hebe assumed.

"The works." Eris grinned.

* * *

Hades and Ares were coming back in from their time in Acheron. Ares held it together pretty well, but he had to keep his hands pinned under his arms across his chest to keep them from shaking. He didn't like death. He liked killing, sure. The thrill. The exhausted. The he was terrified of the other-side. The coldness of death. The nothingness. He shivered.

"War isn't the cause of the most number of deaths." Hades explained. "No. That's going to be old age and illness. But your work does put us in a bind with its concentrated numbers. I can show you how we account for permits of wrath and war. It's pretty nifty design if I do say so myself. I have a slide-show presentation on it. Zeus requested it to be explained to him like a five year old some 1000 years ago, so I'm sure you can keep up. We'll return to Tower 1."

Ares nodded stonily. "Kay." His knuckles turned an odd pink as he held his fist together. Hades stepped towards the entrance for the changing room and looked over his shoulder at Ares.

"You coming?"

"Ye-yes." Ares nodded. "Um. I'll meet you outside."

"Kay." Hades eyes narrowed into slits. "You know, when I took Persephone on this tour, she met a few shades. They like her. I think they see something special in her you know. She's even impressed the Erinyes and Hecate."

Ares pondered this for a moment. "Why are you telling me this?"

Hades tossed his himation over his shoulder and shrugged nonchalantly. He spoke calmly. No ounce of threat in his voice."I'm saying there's a lot of people here who care about Persephone and would be very upset if it was found out she was being. . ." Hades paused. "Disrespected."

"You included?" Ares arched his eyebrow.

Hades didn't blink. "There's no pit deep enough for anyone who hurts Persephone."

Ares gulped. He wanted to respond with something snarky but the look in Hades eyes snuffed it out of him like a puff of air to a candle. Ares knew absolutely that Hades didn't speak in hyperboles. He was reminding once again how dangerous this game of theirs they were playing truly was.

A whizzing sound flew into the open room followed by a scuffling of sandals on the tile. "Woah. Oops." Hermes skidding to a halt next to Ares. "Whew. I was looking everywhere for you. Never thought you'd be here."

"Me?" Ares pointed to himself.

"Yeah, you." Hermes threw some fake punches off Ares' metal cuirass. "I just heard some juicy gossip."

"Ugh." Hades rolled his eyes. "I'll be waiting for you inside." He waved them off. Hades was never one to participate in the gossip that circulated around Olympus. He'd done just about everything to avoid it so far.

"Aphrodite is to be married tomorrow."

Hades paused and turned just an inch to witness Ares reaction.

A blood vessel popped. "Oh?" He said through clenched teeth. "To who?" His forehead vein throbbed.

"This is the best part." Hermes grinned.

Ares grabbed Hermes by his robe and yanked him to eye level. "Who?"

* * *

With donuts in hand, Eros knocked on an ornate door. While his knuckles were still pressed, the door swung open.

"Eros." Hera smiled. "Just who I needed." She pulled Eros inside. "Oh, are these old fashioned or glazed?" She took the box from Eros hands.

"Uh." He tried to follow everything the Queen of the Gods just said. "They're glazed. Listen, Hera." He bowed awkwardly, still nervous of her. "Er, Queen Hera. Your majesty."

"Your Majesty is fine." Hera smirked.

"Your majesty." Eros bowed his head again and offered up the donuts. "I was hoping you could help-"

"Wait. Wait." Hera held up her hand. "Before you finish. I have a favor I need from you."

"A favor?" Eros looked up.

"A request." Hera smiled, a scheme behind her eyes.

"A request?" Eros furrowed his face.

"Really, I'm giving something back to you. Think of it, as a gift."

"A gift?" Eros gulped.

Hera patted Eros hands. "You just have to do one little thing for me."

* * *

Persephone waited by the elevator. The imp gave her a withering look as they caught each others eyes when the doors opened. Hades, back in his nicest suit stepped out with his brief case in hand.

She was so shocked at his closeness she forgot she waited all this time to speak with him. The way his butt looked in those perfectly tailored pants mesmerized Persephone so much so she nearly lost her grip on the letter. The letter! Persephone shook herself out of it. Hades was nearly at the door now and hadn't seen her there. Everything could be cleared up now. She needed to talk to him. To tell him the truth of how she felt because she knew now that he shared the same feelings. Enough of games. She stepped forward, thinking of how perhaps, once this was all over, perhaps- Persephone blushed- she could touch his butt. She nearly giggled at the thought.

Really they were all being very silly. Herself included. But she'd have to tell Hades how silly he's being. How wrong he is. How beautiful his smile is. How warm his hands are. How dumb it is that he said he doesn't know much about love, but then proclaims that musn't be feeling it. Love isn't a feeling. Love isn't something you are in or out of. Hades admitted to being infatuated with her, but he wouldn't be trying so hard unless there was something deeper. Love couldn't be manufactured. Not even by the gods.

She'd tell him everything. How completely and utterly smitten she is with him. She felt herself pulled in his direction, floating across the floor. All at once nervous, scared, electrified, and happy. As he opened the door to leave, she called for him. "Ha-"

_Thwick _

"Ouch!" Persephone winced, clutching her heart. "What the-" She blinked, completely caught off guard. Something pricked her chest.

"I'm so sorry." Eros said, hovering above her. His arm outstretched with his bow. "I'm so, so, so sorry."

"Eros?" Persephone's brain began to feel fuzzy. Her heartbeat quickened. "What-whats going on?" She felt light headed. Some emotion flooded through her she wasn't quite used to, couldn't understand. Pushing her apart and digging some awful emptiness inside of her. She stumbled in her spot. What was this horrible feeling?

"Are you alright?" The most wonderful sounding voice in all the world called to her. It sounded like the music inside of her ribcage. Then the hands she's been waiting to be touched by grabbed her by her waist and held her steady. Fire flickered. A heat rose where he touched. She wanted more. More of him. More of his touch. That emptiness that had pained her just a few seconds ago suddenly filled with _him_ here and she wanted to soak in it.

"Persephone, are you okay?" He said her name and she nearly combusted.

She nodded dreamily. "Perfect. Now that you're here." She caressed his face, staring up into the eyes of the only man she could ever possibly want. He was her everything. There was no sun without him. She couldn't breath if he didn't exist. There would be no point. She sighed into his leather jacket. "Ares."

The forgotten letter dropped from her hand and fell on top of Eros' golden arrow.


	8. Letting Go

Previously on W&P:  
Aphrodite is to be married to Hephaestus, Ares brother.  
Hades and Aphrodite both think that Ares and Persephone are for real dating.  
Eros, Ares son, has pricked Persephone's heart with his arrow just as she was about to tell the truth.

* * *

**War and Peonies**

**Chapter 8:**

**Letting Go**

* * *

Ares grabbed another axe from the table and chucked it at the wooden board. _Wh-THACK._ It hit just off center from the bullseye. "I can't believe ..." He followed after it with heavy footsteps up to the target. "She would do this." He pulled on the handle of two axes until the wood splintered, releasing the throwing weapons. Ares spun on his heels, holding his arms out to either side, the axes like an extension of his limbs. Persephone watched like a hawk from her position on the table. Her knees curled up and she held herself together, binding herself, or fear she would run at him, unable to contain her desire.

"I mean." _Wh-THACK._ Another axe on the board. He spun the next axe in his hand, catching it in air adeptly. "My brother?" Wh-THACK. Anger lines rippled like lightning through him. A bad habit he picked up from his father. All of his bark and none of his bite. He stalked off to retrieve the axes again. Persephone tilted her head to get a better view of his backside. "That son of a bitch."

He looked dangerous. Sharpened weapons at his side. Face glowering. Red anger. Darkened eyes.

Persephone shivered. She liked it. Slowly, she hopped off the table. The zinging blood coursing through her began to peel away at her resolve. She had only kept herself quiet by the long ride back from the underworld. Her arms wrapped around him. Her face buried into the back of his leather jacket, inhaling him up as if to suffocate the world. She didn't fear his crazy turns and wild riding. No thrill could out-do the odd off balance panging inside her chest.

"You know, I didn't even think they were even talking." Ares readied to swing again. "It just doesn't make any sense." He was about to throw, but then something inside of him crumbled and he hitched forward at his hips. His knuckles and the axe kissing the grass of the practice field. The sound that escaped his lips was part gasp, part sigh, and part grumble all in one. He looked up at Persephone through the side of his eye. "You've been oddly quiet. No quippy insults to rub into my wound like lemon water? No comments on my stupidity?"

Taking this as her queue, Persephone bent down with him, every inch of her on fire, coming alive by the heat he was putting out himself. Her hands hovered above his. She twitched and her fingers grazed across his fingers. Slowly, she plucked the axe from his grasp and rose back up, inspecting the blade. "Can you show me?" She turned it over in her hand, feeling the weight of it.

"Alright." Ares pushed off from his knees to straighten back up. "You're gonna want to hold it firmly, but fluidly. You don't want to be too rigid with it or else you won't be able to release properly and you'll end up stabbing your toe. And you don't want to hold it too loosley or you'll fling it backwards and end up stabbing your shin." He demonstrated with the second axe.

"Like this?" She held it awkwardly, like she was holding a large pen.

"What? No. No." Ares dropped his axe on the table behind them and then came up behind Persephone, holding her arm. "Like this." His large hands covered over hers and he adjusted her grip to match his. She leaned back against his chest, closing the gap between them. "Remember the stance I taught you? Hip width. Feet staggered apart."

Persephone adjusted her stance, swinging her hips against his. "I remember." She said softly.

"G-good." Ares swallowed. He became acutely away of her proximity. The way her body pressed fully against his. "Uh. Yeah, so. Now you're just going to swing back. Careful. I'm here." He moved her arm so that the blade kicked back, nearly touching his own shoulder. And then he extended his arm with hers. Like an odd slow dance, they repeated the movement. "Just remember to let go strongly. Look where you want it to land and find that arc in your swing. Don't be afraid to let go. Got it?"

"I think so."

Ares stepped back away from her, confused by how the absence of their contact made him feel. Anger still rippled through him. All other emotions drowned in that intoxicating power. Still _something _was there. Wiggling and trying to survive. Ares forced it down with tight knit eyebrows.

Persephone shifted in her stance. She brought her arm back. The throwing axe felt good in her palm. She looked up at the target. Imagining what she wanted. She raised her arm. Find the arc. She swung through, but the axe never left. Her fist still wrapped around the handle.

"You okay?" Ares came up. "You didn't let go."

Persephone turned to him, forgetting to keep herself in check. "What if that's it?"

"Huh?"

"Letting go." Persephone dropped the axe. It landed with a soft thud onto the field. Her hand now found his forearm and held it like an extension of her own limb. "Maybe." She breathed a short, hot breath. "Maybe you should let go. Maybe, there's another target."

"What do you mean?"

"Come here." She begged. He touched his temples, bringing him forward like they had at Hebe's birthday party. Ares closed his eyes at her cool touch. She smelled like summer fields. Starry night filled his vision. Just as they had before this madness started. "You're always angry. But maybe you don't have to be." She extended her thumbs and pressed them over his eyebrows, ironing out the furrowed lines. "You've defined yourself in anger." She stepped closer, feeling his shallow breath on her own forehead. The soft hairs there fluttered with her own heart. "And maybe you're scared to let that definition go. Scared to find out who you really are, if not your own temper." Persephone floated up. "Open your eyes." She whispered.

Ares obeyed. His red eyes flashed open with wild vulnerability.

"Let go." Persephone whispered. Then before Ares could object, Persephone reached up with her lips. She grazed along his blistered lip. Her heart flapped like a butterfly's wing. Then Ares moved his face to the side and she ended up kissing his cheek.

"Persephone." Ares grabbed her fingers at his temple. "No one's watching." He softly pushed her hands back to her side. "You don't have to do this."

"I know." She smiled and held his hands, staring up at him through thick eye lashes. "I want to." She kissed his jawline.

"B-but Hades…" Ares tried to take a step back but Persephone wouldn't let him. He only stepped back into her arms.

"Who?" She kissed along his neck, following his thick veins, wondering idly what he'd taste like if she took a big chunk of him in her teeth.

"That's…" Ares swallowed. "That's far enough, love."

"Love?" Persephone's eyes sparkled.

"This was just a game." Ares cradled her face in his hands, mostly just to keep her from kissing him. Mostly. The thing nearly drowning inside of him wiggled again, still alive.

"But what if it wasn't?" Persephone turned to kiss his palm. "What if we just decided to make it real?"

"That wasn't the plan." Ares objected.

"Plans change." Persephone shrugged and pressed upon him again.

Ares tumbled backward and fell against the table. Not holding back, Persephone climbed up on top of him, letting her knees fall to either side of his chest. Ares stared up in shock.

_Wh-THACK. _

Ares and Persephone bolted up upright from their scandalous position on the table. Ares' sister stood in a simple shift dress with her left arm extended out towards the target. "Greetings, love birds." Eris turned to reveal a jagged toothy smile at them both. She picked up the axe Persephone had dropped and tossed it up in the air. It landed right beside Persephone's toe. She yelped and scrambled off the table.

"We haven't met." She slid her burgundy colored eyes to the little pink goddess who was about to kiss her brother. "Eris. Goddess of discord and chaos." She extended a cordial hand.

"Persephone." She gulped. When she went in to accept the hand shake, Eris turned suddenly, and ignored her.

"I know who you are." She sighed.

"Stop it." Ares smacked his forehead. "Please. For once in your fucking life can you give it a rest."

"I'm not doing anything." She smiled so wide she squinted her eyes.

"Just knock it off, whatever it is you're up to. I'm- I'm busy." Ares hopped off the table.

"Clearly." Eris winked at Persephone.

"Go bother someone else. Don't you have lives to ruin up in your tower?" Ares grumbled again and moved in front of Persephone protectively.

"Sure sure. I just came out here because Mother sent me." She eyed her nails dispassionately. "The wedding is about to start."

"I'm not going." Ares flexed his arms against his chest. No way was he going to attend Aphrodite's wedding. It didn't matter that his brother was the groom.

"Yeah, that wasn't really negotiable." Eris eyes glowed with excitement. "King and Queen's orders."

"Fine!" Ares yelled. "Just fine!" The anger seeped back in. "I'll go get ready. And you!" He swung around to Persephone and pointed a finger at her. "You…" He didn't know what he wanted to say. "You just." He wagged his finger. "You just-." He turned back to Eris. "And you!" He paused. "All ya'll just stop it." He headed back inside. "Fucking shit!" He screamed before the door closed behind him.

"Good work." Eris turned to Persephone. "Honestly, bravo."

"What?" Persephone blinked.

"I can't wait to see you in the final act." Eris waved at Persephone. Suddenly she clasped the goddess of springs hands. "You've played your part well. Truly sorry we'll never be sisters, but I can't wait to call you aunty."

* * *

"What do you mean my mother's getting married?" Eros held the phone up with one hand while pushing a door open with the other. "I'm like, her favorite son. Her best friend. I think I'd know if my mother was getting married." He scoffed. "Damn. Where even am I?" He had been wandering around the hallways of Hades Tower 1, in a hopeless bout of sadness, losing himself to his terrible thoughts and losing himself in the underworld at the same time. He was pretty sure he wasn't even in the same building anymore and he wasn't sure how. He'd heard Hades had used magic to design his city. "Look. This really isn't a good time. I just did something I deeply regret but I had to and I'm in emotional distress. Please try again later." He hung up on his little sister. "I don't know what to do."

Hera had promised him that if he did this. If he struck Persephone's heart with his arrow of love, that she'd make Aphrodite release Psyche.

"But you forbade this power against other gods." He objected, standing in her living room completely shocked.

"Consider that decree reversed." Hera dragged a cigar to her lips and coughed a little before popping it out of her fingers. "I'll even put it in writing." She grabbed something from beneath her corset."

"But-"

"Will you deny me?"

"No, your majesty." Eros looked down, knowing he would be betraying his friend and his friend. Psyche or no, this wasn't right and he knew it. Now he was walking through the hallways of the dead. How long had he even been here? It was hard to say.

He slumped against the wall, and then the wall twisted.

"Huh?" Eros scrambled as the wall spun and he was suddenly facing outside the city. Cold wind bit at his skin. "What the-" He looked down, but the ground had disappeared. He looked up at the floor. The city of the underworld blinked at him from above.

The sign for the Fates pointed towards the edge of the walkway. He stepped forwards, nervously, but curiosity pulled him forward.

His stomach lurched and suddenly he was inside again.

Lachesis manned the counter and looked up from her glasses. "Oh there you are. We have it ready for you."

"Huh?" Eros checked behind him. "Me?"

"Yeah, we've been waiting for ages for you. Come on, come on. Don't make us keep waiting. Quickly, now."

"I didn't-"

"Make a request?" She guessed. "Well, perhaps not yet in your timeline." She grabbed something from behind the counter, moving a few boxes as she did so. "But you will. And so you have." She answered cryptically. "Atro! Have you seen the-"

Another of the sisters swung in with large scissors in her hand. "It's in your pocket, dearie."

"Oh, that's right." She fumbled in her jacket. "You're late to a wedding, aren't you?"

"You should get going." Atropos chimed in. "Time is of the essence."

"My moms wedding?" Eros raised her eye-brow. "I can stop it?"

"Start it. Oh, you didn't get an invitation." Lachesis finally pulled a small scroll from her jacket. "Here."

"Oh and dearie." Clotho popped her head out from around the corner. "Don't pick the white suit. You're going to get stains on it."

"Huh?" Eros didn't understand anything that was happening.

"Go!" Atropos shooed him away.

"I don't know how to get out?"

"It's easy." Lachesis said turning back to her magazine. "You have to go the way you came."

"Is that supposed to have some hidden meaning?"

Lachesis popped a bubble gum. "Everything we say has a hidden meaning. And everything has no meaning at all."

"Right." Eros backed way. The wall swallowed him up again and spit him back out on the roof. The city upside down. He began to walk backwards and the hallways surrounded him again. "Okay. Well. That happened." Eros shook himself out. "Or maybe it didn't." He turned his attention to the scroll in his hand. He untied the ribbon.

_You are cordially invited to join in the celebration and union of _

_ Kore - Persephone - Proserpina and Aidoneous - Hades - Plouton. _

Eros gasped. This wasn't the invitation of the wedding he expected. But it was the one he needed.

Everything clicked into place. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Hepheastus stood beside his mother at the front. His thumbs twiddled nervously. "Is it itchy in here or is it just me?" He commented while scratching the back of his neck.

"Stop that." Hera fussed over him.

"Mom." He plucked some ear wax with his pinky. "I don't think this is a good idea. I don't even like Aphrodite."

Hera tittered. "Everyone likes Aphrodite. She'll make you happy."

"But I already am happy." Hepheastus complained.

Zeus smacked the back of his head. "You're marrying the most gorgeous goddess in the three realms. Stop complaining." Hera gave him a withering stare. "Besides your mother, that is." He added hurriedly.

"But like." Hephaestus huffed. "I'm not. . ." He shifted on his bad leg. "I'm not on her radar. Wouldn't Ares. . . isn't he gonna be mad at me?"

"Exactly." Zeus grabbed his shoulders. "Do you know how many lives will be saved by marrying her. Can you imagine the bloodshed your brother would bring on the mortal realm if he were to be Aphrodite's husband. All the wars he would start in jealous rages? That's not your style. You're much too logical for that."

"Yeah, I suppose." Hepheastus scratched his chin.

"Haven't you always wanted to get married?" Hera rubbed his son's arms.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Not really."

"Don't you. . . think she's attractive?" Zeus couldn't believe he had to ask that question. Hephestus was certainly, no son of his.

"I suppose." Hephaestus admitted lamely.

"See, there ya go." Zeus clapped his arm. Lives would be saved. Perhaps the only match that would make enough sense for Aphrodite's predilections. They could be completely disinterested in each other, together. And really, what more could you want in a marriage?

* * *

Ares and Persephone sat down on a row in the back. In a suit too tight for him, Hephestaus waved at his brother, but Ares only scowled back. Persephone however, waved at him cheerily.

Hermes winked at Persephone as he took his station at the back to hold the doors open. Poseidon and Amphitrite and their current third in their relationship came in. Hades entered. He smiled at Persephone, but she was too busy studying the waves of lochs on the back of Ares head to notice. Triton. Eris. Hebe. Eileithyia. All came in with confused, somber expressions. Except for Eris, who could't help the small wicked grin creeping up the side of her face.

Then everyone stood up respectfully. The bridal march began to play. Hermes opened the door one last time.

Dawning realization finally hit. Sick to his stomach, Ares whispered in Persephone's ear. "Come on." Persephone looked up with victory. He was letting go. "Get me out of here."

Everyone turned to see the goddess of love, finally, after eons, settle down into matrimony, who stepped out timidly, her veil covering her face and her tears streaming down it. She herself did not look up at her groom, like most brides do. While everyone turned to look at her, she watched as Persephone pulled Ares out of the room through a side door. A haunting giggle left behind. The bride and Hades both gritted their teeth as the couple disappeared.

* * *

AN: AAAAH! One more chapter! Thank you for reading and reviewing. You guys are amazing.


	9. Night Creme

THE FINAL CHAPTER! AAAAH! Have fun!

* * *

War and Peonies

Chapter 9

Night Creme

* * *

"I don't know." Ares let Persephone lead him back to his bedroom. "There's still hope for you, don't you and Hades-"

"Shhh." Persephone closed the door behind her. "You're stressed out. Lay down."

Ares kicked off his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed. "This is a bad idea." He tried to put up as much fight left in him, knowing a few doors down, his heart was being promised to another. He was losing. He curled up on his pillow and his buried his face under the covers.

"We're full of those. It's never stopped us before." Persephone wiggled under with him.

"Come on." Ares breathed, but he wasn't pushing her away. "Stop joking. It's not funny."

"No, it's not." Persephone crawled on top of him and let her legs fall to either side of him and she curled closer, trapping his head between the bed and her hands. "Everyone already thinks we're together."

Ares closed his eyes again and let her kiss his forehead. "Aphrodite-"

"Isn't here." Persephone finished his sentence. "But I am."

Ares blinked back up at her. Not at the eyes of the one he loved. But the ones that held him now.

"It would be easy." Persephone continued, her fingers played with the dog tags on his chest. "It would be just like letting go."

Ares heart pounded in his chest. A full mix of emotions clawing at him like a terrible caged beast. Persephone bit her lip, contemplating her next move. Slowly, Ares dragged a finger up along a strand of Persephone's hair. Not Aphrodite's hair. He tucked it behind Persephone's ear. "Don't make me do this." He grumbled.

"You don't have to do anything." Persephone's hand danced along his shirt, finding the bottom of it and quickly raced along his abs. Ares inhaled sharply.

"Damn you." Ares muttered before suddenly clasping Persephone into him. He rolled over her and pressed her firmly against the bed. Persephone gasped. Fire consuming her. He angled her face up to him. He was still unsure. He weighed his actions carefully, trying to see the outcomes. But that was never his strong suit.

"Fuck it." Ares sighed and dove in. His arms twisted beneath her head pulling her closer. Like an invasion, his lips collided with hers. A kiss more aggressive than tender. She surrendered without a fight. Her tongue teased out, a spy scoping out the situation. Ares heart pounded like a war drum, it echoed back to him within Persephone. Persephone's hands slide further under his shirt, assessing the newly acquired territory.

Ares pulled back to take a breath. She tasted like honey suckle. Persephone nipped at his lip and sucked until she tasted a dab of ichor. She shivered, live wire under her skin.

"This isn't like you." Ares blinked. There was no hesitation in her movements. This wasn't the girl that had stood in his bedroom earlier, angry and jealous, and looking for an outlet.

"Maybe it is now." Persephone popped Ares shirt wide open. The buttons flinging down upon her. Her fingers dug now into his skin. She pressed herself back up to his lips, and dragged him down onto the bed. "I want you."

Ares shut his eyes and his body took over. His hands pressed against her clavicle and spread out to his shoulders. She gasped and Ares accepted the open invitation to explore her tongue with his. Arching her back, she pressed her curves against his and his breath came out in staccato gasps. Kissing wildly, he wasn't sure if he was running towards Persephone or running away from _her _. Either way, it felt wrong, and it felt good. And he liked it. From her shoulders, his hands roamed down, through her cleavage to her belly.

Persephone, not afraid anymore to ask for what she wanted, grabbed his hand, just as he had at the practice range, and guiding him in proper form to her breast.

"Yes, ma'am." He took orders well and squeezed. Persephone delightedly giggled. Ravenously, she wrapped her legs around him, looping a toe through his belt loop and dragging down. Ares rubbed her other breast until stiff peaks formed under her dress. He dragged his hand down further. This was easy. Ares sighed. Easier than he thought it would be. This could work. Perhaps, this was the will of the fates. They'd been playing this game. Pretending to be together. When perhaps, they were just fooling themselves. Perhaps, they should stop pretending and just be. She had hips like a fertility goddess. Hadn't he wanted this when they first met? It could be easy.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ares asked. His thumb drawing circles on her throat. "This, this is kind of sudden."

"Ah, come on." Persephone dragged her fingernails down his chest to the top of his pants. "We've been dating for awhile now. If anything we've been taking it slow."

Ares grunted a short laugh. As he continued to acquaint himself with her body, his finger found a tear just under her breast. Persephone winced.

"What's this?" He pulled back to get a better view.

"It's nothing." Persephone brushed his hand away. "That's not how you take off a dress." Persephone mused. "Here." She pulled up at the bottom of her hem by Ares thighs.

"You're wounded." He pulled again at her dress, something horrible sinking into his gut. He sniffed at it. Persephone had hoped he would envelope her in his mouth.

"I'm fine."

Ares groaned and sat up. "Idiot." He slapped his forehead as he sat on the edge of the bed. Persephone wrapped her legs and arms around him from behind like a backpack while she nibbled his ear.

"What's wrong?"

"Love, you need to stop."

"But why?" Persephone moved into his lap. "I don't want to."

Ares looked her over. A woman quite literally throwing herself at him. He sighed. "Why did I have to develop a sense of morality now?" He frowned. He knew why. The look of absolute terror in Hades eyes haunted him. _If anyone where to __hurt her. _ "This is the worst day of my life." He stood up. Persephone still clutched to him. "Come on."

"What?" Persephone looked around, not realizing that they were moving. "Where are we going?"

Ares kicked his door open. "To find my fucking son."

* * *

Eros zoomed into the temple. His wings outstretched. Each individual feather seemed radiant in the fire light. "Stop!" He shouted to the wedding party below. "Stop! Stop the wedding!"

Poseidon looked up at the love god. "Uh. You're kinda too late, kid." He held up a sandwich as if that explained things. "It's the after party." Aphrodite and Hepheastus were married. A bond of politicking.

"What?" Eros' face fell. "No!" He touched down to the floor lightly. "Mom?" He spun around, looking for Aphrodite. "Don't tell me she left already."

"And start my honeymoon so soon?" Aphrodite crossed her arms. "I don't think so."

"There you are!" Eros ran up to her.

"Oh, my poor baby." Aphrodite held her arms out. "My precious boy. I knew you'd come back. You're too late. My boy, you tried to break the wedding off?"

"I didn't come for you." Eros scowled.

Aphrodite blinked back shocked. "Wha-"

"Here!" He yelled. Anger rippled through him. Passion from both his parents moved him like the tides of the ocean. "I did what you asked." He chucked a small glass container at the bride.

"What?" Aphrodite caught it, not quite sure what she held.

"Consider it a wedding gift." Eros sneered. "A drop of beauty from the Queen of the Underworld."

Hades turned his head suddenly interested. "Uh, what now?"

Hermes licked the rest of his fingers off from the BBQ wings. "Oh, this is getting good. We just need one more emotional family outburst..."

"You!" Ares stormed into the room, dragging Persephone at his side. His finger pointed at Eros. His eyes set heavy and dangerous.

"... and there it is." Hermes kissed his finger tips. "Now it's a party."

"Uh-oh." Eros blanched. His rose colored skin paling. "D-dad. Pops."

"Don't call me that." He tugged Persephone around him. "Undo it. Undo it right now."

"Woah. Woah, my boy." Zeus stepped forward and tried to put a hand on Ares' shoulder. Eros tried to hide behind his grand-pop. "Calm down now. What's the matter?"

Ares didn't let Eros out of his sight. "You struck Persephone with one of your fucking arrows."

Everyone in the room gasped. Hera stood up livid. "You what?" Only it didn't sound like a real word but a horrible screech from the depths of a terrifying bog. The room grew so quiet they could hear the mortals crying out to them.

"Look at her." Ares gestured to Persephone. "She's not even trying to make fun of me. It's horrible. Fix it."

"Is this because of Psyche." Aphrodite looked so hurt, it broke Eros' heart. Again.

"Who the fuck is Psyche?" Poseidon interjected. "And what does it have to do with Persephone?"

Hera stepped like an ancient evil towards her grandson. "Eros, son of Ares, what the fuck have you done?"

Eros was even more confused by this. "What do you mean what have I done? You're the one who begged me to pierce her heart."

The crowd gasped again. Their heads shifted over now to the Queen of the the Gods.

Hades too eyed Hera mournfully. "Bunny?" Betrayal was written on every furrowed line on his brow. "How could you?" After all they've been through.

"Yes!" Aphrodite leapt up at the chance to point fingers at Hera. "She's cruel and wicked. Look at what she's done to me." She held the back of her hand up to her forehead. "Married to an ugly god. Hera is awful."

"Hey, that's your mother now too." Hephaestus drank, unemotionally from his chalice. "Welcome to the family."

"Shhhh." Poseidon waved Aphrodite's high pitched yelps off. "There's some real drama happening right now."

"It's MY wedding! And none of you even care!" Aphrodite threw some flowers from a centerpiece onto the floor. "This is supposed to be about ME!"

Hera shook her head and ignored Aphrodite as usual. "I didn't tell Eros to do anything. Last time I saw you, it was at Poseidon's party." She turned back to Eros. "Eros, if this is true, you have completely ignored my ordinance. No use of your power is to be used against a fellow deathless one."

"What?" Eros grabbed his hair. "This is ridiculous. I came here yesterday to ask for help in finding Psyche, and you sat me down and explained that you would overturn that rule so I could make Persephone fall in love Ares."

"Yesterday?" Zeus scratched his head. "But why would she want you to do that yesterday? They've been dating for weeks."

Eros groaned and turned back to his father. "Because it was a big fat SCAM. Persephone was only dating Ares to make Hades jealous!"

Hermes gasped and grabbed another crab cake. "Oh, this is good."

Hades froze. "What's that now?"

"Psh." Persephone waved Eros off. "He's lying. I don't have a crush on the king of the underworld. I'm dating Ares." She turned back to him and tried to cuddle up into his chest. "Hades, who?"

"Oh shut up." Eros waved his hands up. "You're only saying that because you're under a love spell."

"Is that true?" Hades zeroed in on Eros.

"Yeah." Ares sighed. "It's true." He looked up apologetically at Hades. "After seeing you and Minthe, she found her way to my place and we had this really great idea." He scratched the back of his neck. "And it was working, mind you." He looked back down at Persephone. "But our relationship was fake from the beginning. She was trying to make you jealous. And I was trying to make Aphrodite jealous."

Aphrodite stopped crying her big fat fake tears and looked up with hope.

"Oh my gods. I need to sit down." Hermes slid down next to the snack table. He reached his hand up though and searched for more bacon wrapped water-chestnuts.

"That's not true!" Persephone pounded on Ares chest. "I love you!" She shouted. "I love you!"

Ares looked up at his son exasperatedly. "Can you please do something about this?"

Eros walked up to Persephone and tapped her on the shoulder. "Here, you look thirsty. Drink this." He produced a darkly colored bottle. An image of a broken heart covered the label.

"I'm not thirsty." She protested.

"Yes, girl, you are." Eros arched his eyebrow. He forced the lip of the bottle onto her lips. She drank deeply. Not stopping until the bottle was empty. "This is gonna hurt." Eros warned.

"Ugh, that's disgusting. It tastes like. . . like-" She smacked her lips. "Like reality and ... and is that mint?"

"Now, you were saying?" Eros looked between her and Ares. "About how you love Ares?"

"What?" Perspehone blinked. "Where am I?" She turned around, confused and on edge. "What the atlas is happening?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was. . ." Persephone shook her head and closed her eyes. "Everything was fuzzy."

"And before that."

"I was. . . I was in the lobby of Tower One." The memories were coming back slowly but surely. "I was trying to talk to Hades. To tell him I read his letter. The one he didn't want me to read."

Hades backed up into the snack table and nearly stepped on Hermes hand. They shared a silent glance and looked back up at Persephone.

"What letter?" Hera asked from the steps.

Persephone pressed her hands against her temples. "He, he said he had feelings for me. And he was being a big stupid idiot." She laughed. "Hades is so stupid."

"Accurate." Zeus commented.

"I-I was going to tell him that, that I-" She looked about the room. Realizing she was surrounded by people. "Oh, dear. What's going on?"

Ares rubbed her shoulder. "Sorry about all this. You got struck by Eros' arrow, forced to fall in love with me. Then I figured it out before we had sex-"

"And I oop." Hermes clutched his invisible pearls. Hades slid down next to Hermes. He offered the king of the underworld a bacon wrapped-water chestnut. He accepted absently.

"Because I was upset that Aphrodite and Hephaestus are legit married now, but we've figured out that this was all Hera's idea."

All eyes turned to the golden goddess.

"For the last friggin' time." Hera sighed. "I didn't tell Eros anything. That wasn't me. I did trick Aphrodite into agreeing to marry Hephestaus. I'll admit to that. But only because I thought Persephone was actually dating my son, Ares. And-and-." She huffed. "She made really good muffins."

"I didn't make any muffins." Persephone tilted her head.

Hebe popped her head up from beneath the table next to Hermes. "Oh no." She whimpered. "Momma." She looked up bashfully. "I made the muffins. And I lied and said it was Persephone."

Aphrodite turned to the child. "So this is all your fault! I swear it, little girl, you'll marry a mortal."

Hebe gasped and ducked back under the table.

"This wouldn't have happened if you had just answered my phone call." Ares turned to Aphrodite. "This all could have been avoided if you just talked to me."

"I'm a busy woman!" She screeched back. "Also, what the hell. You could have just talked to me, instead of sticking your nose in someone else's flower patch."

"Hebe!" Hera called. "Where did that little one go?"

Hermes pointed to the table.

"Hebe, you're in BIG trouble." Hera got on all fours and crawled underneath the table after her youngest child. Hebe appeared on the other side and ran around the room.

Eros searched his pockets. "Here. I even have this signed form from Hera herself." He produced a document with Hera's signature.

Zeus sniffed the paper. "For crying out loud." He waved his hands in the air. "Will everyone shut up!" His voice boomed. "Eris, come out right now or you're grounded."

A chair in the corner spun and Eris, slouched to her shoulders with a straw to her lips and sunglasses on her eyes, came into view. "Oh no." She faked horror, a smile played on her lips. "Lock me up in my comfortable tower away from people. How awful." She spun again away from the room.

"Eris!" Zeus yelled. "Turn back around this instant."

"I'm busy."

"HI BUSY. I'M DAD." Zeus lunged towards the chair and forced Eris to face him.

"Wow. That was lame." Eris clapped apathetically. "I love it. This family really is the best." Eris sighed happily, looking at all the disgruntled, confused, and agitated faces in the room. Ares embarrassed for nearly sleeping with the wrong woman. Aphrodite heartbroken and upset. Hera played like a fiddle. Persephone feeling used and strung out. Hermes overloaded on food. Hades completely shocked and confused. "Honestly, some of my best work."

"Eris, did you do this?" Zeus asked gravely.

"Do what?" She played dumb.

"Don't start with me." Zeus warned.

"Too late."

"Fucking teenagers." The king of the gods twisted around. "Hebe!" He called. "Hebe, why did you lie to your mother?"

"Um." Hebe hid behind Poseidon. She glanced up at Eris and back away. "I can't say."

"Hebe. You won't get into any trouble as long as you tell the truth."

Eris slid her finger on her neck in Hebe's direction.

"UGH!" Hebe gasped with her arms out beside her. "I'm tired of this. Eris made me do it."

"You little!" Eris jumped up. Hebe squeaked and dove back under the table. She wasn't afraid of anything. Anything except her sister. She yelled from the safety of the tablecloth. "Eris made me say that stuff to mom so that Mom would like Persephone more than Aphrodite. Then Eris pretended to be mom so that she could make Eros prick Persephone."

"Why?" Ares turned to his sister. "Things wouldn't have changed either way. Aphrodite is still married. That, unlike Eros' spell, cannot be undone. You've just left us where we were before."

Eris sighed. "Ah, well. That was fun. I guess the gig is up. It was a good run. Absolutely wonderfully horrible." She stood up and stretched. "And no, things are certainly not where they were before." She winked at Eros. "The will of the Fates are mysterious and incomprehensible. But good gods, does it take forever. Sometimes you have to throw chaos into the mix to get the ball rolling." She turned to her mom. "Sorry, Hera. To be honest. I don't know how you smoke all those cigarettes. You're a badass. And a terrible role model. You're a horrible mother and I love you so much for it."

"Aw. That's kind of sweet." Hera cooed. "And you are so totally in trouble."

Eris winked. "Trouble is my middle name."

"I fucking know that." Hera screeched. "How dare you take my form. I would throw you into Tartarus, if you weren't my own flesh and blood."

Ares caught Aphrodite's eye. "So, this, whole thing." He gestured at the decorations around them. "This wasn't your idea?"

"Gods no." Aphrodite clasped her hands together.

"Huh." Ares nodded. "That's. . . good to know."

"I. . . I actually came to Hera to ask for your hand in marriage." Aphrodtie gulped. "Because, I really fucking hated seeing you with that slut."

"Huh." Ares nodded again, a smile creeping up his face.

"And. You. . . didn't sleep with Persephone? It was all fake?"

"Yup." Ares held his gaze steady. They stepped towards each other like magnets.

"Even when you had the chance?"

Persephone wrapped in his arms on his bed. Gripping each other's clothes. "It was close. But no." He admitted.

"Interesting." Now Aphrodite nodded her head and sucked on her lip.

"And you're married to my brother now." Ares clarified.

"Yes." The goddess of love looked down, embarrassed. "Yes. That's. That's certainly a thing." She looked at the ring on her finger. "I am a married woman now. So you can't have me, you scoundrel." Her eyes flicked up with passion.

Ares looked past her at his brother, his lover's husband, sitting by himself at the furthest table. "A pity." Ares licked his lips at Aphrodite. Hunger sparked in his eyes. "For my brother."

They both shared a wicked smirk at each other.

Hades stared at his shoes, his arms folded against his chest. "Hang on. Wait just a ding dang second." He interjected. Everyone looked down at the King of the Underworld sitting by the snack food table. "What was with the jar and the bit about the queen of the underworld thing?" He caught Eros' eye.

"Oh, um, that." Eros blushed. "OH YEAH!" Eros jumped up, his full wings flexing. "Psyche!" He turned to his mother.

"Hmm?" Aphrodite pulled her hand away from Ares' butt cheek, caught in the act.

"You told me you wouldn't let me see Psyche again until I brought you a drop of beauty from the Queen of the Underworld."

"Oh, did I say that?" His mother hummed. She couldn't quite remember.

"Well. I gave it to you. So." Eros said. "So. . . I'd like to talk to my girlfriend, please."

"Yeah, and I'd like to talk to this Queen of the Underworld." Hades said, slowly getting up from the floor.

Persephone looked up at the bottle in Aphrodite's hand. "Hey, wait a second." She yelled above the crowd. "That's my night cream. Eros, did you break into my house and steal that from my bathroom?"

"I would NEVER!" Eros defended himself. "I used the key under the mat and BORROWED your night cream."

"Yeaaaah." Aphrodite opened the packaging. "This smells great. But um. She's not the Queen of the-"

Eros handed her the wedding invitation. "I accidentally found the Fates. Or maybe they found me. I don't really know what happened. It was very confusing and I think I understand death now so I have a whole lot to process." Aphrodite flipped the paper.

"Iiiiiiii stand corrected. Huh." Aphrodite eyed Hades. Then looked down at Persephone. And back up at Hades. "Huh. Well, um. That's an interesting development."

"What does it say!" Hermes asked, still on the floor. "Read it outloud for the class please."

"It's. . ." Aphrodite blinked, a little shocked at the item she held. Something from the future. She gulped. The future was a dangerous thing. "Nothing." She turned now to Eros. "Go home."

"But!" Eros eyes went wide with shock.

"Go home."

"But Psyche."

"She's there. Waiting for you. She's been there this entire time."

"This entire. . . time." Eros nearly fainted.

"I'm bored." Eris yawned and spun around in her chair. "This is boring now. I'm going back up to my tower."

"Oh no you don't." Hera tapped her crossed elbows. "You're grounded."

"I know." Eris rolled her eyes. "That's why I'm going up to my room."

"No you are not. You're grounded and going to be helping Hestia with her fundraising."

"WHAT?" Eris screeched.

Hades tapped his shoes. "What the fuck is going on right now?"

Quietly Aphrodite pressed the invitation into his chest. "Everyone!" Aphrodite called to the room. "This party is over. Go home. Or somewhere. Anywhere else but here." She winked at Aideoneous as she walked back to Hephaestus. "Let's all go home now." She wrapped her arm under his. He grunted and pulled away from his new wife.

As the bride and groom exited first, Aphrodite turned back to Ares, a look passed between them and he smiled as they left. Perhaps. . . things would work out after all. He may have a moral compass now, but. that didn't mean it always pointed north.

Persephone was about to join the crowd when Hades held her back. "Wait. Persephone. I think we need to talk."

"Yes." Persephone fidgeted with her dress nervously. "We do. I, I read your letter." So much had happened within the last hour her head felt light. This, this conversation now, seemed to be the only thing left to say at all.

"I heard." Hades winced. "I'm sorry." He took in a deep breath. "For everything. For the letter, for Minthe, for not telling you sooner. Oh what a mess."

"I'm sorry too." Persephone sat down on the floor and patted the spot beside her. Hades offered her a bacon wrapped water-chestnut. "Oh, thanks. I shouldn't have. . . the thing with Ares." She sighed and popped the refreshment in her mouth. She chewed over her words. "Wait. I'm actually a vegetarian."

Hades froze. "Oh damn. I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "What does it matter now." She laughed, a short chaotic sound. She chuckled again. "Oh man, this whole thing was so ridiculous. Do you know how many times I punched Ares in the chest?"

"Um?"

She laughed again. " HA! And the look on your face when we came into the party together. Oh, that was priceless." She wiped a tear from her eye. "You were so pissed off. I'm so sorry." She apologized, but she kept laughing. "I know it wasn't right, but my gods. And then when you and Ares were in the locker room." Persephone out right cackled.

Hades laughed too. Riding along with the crazy insanity of it all. "You heard about that?"

"Yeah." Persephone wheezed. "Yeah, oh I heard about it, alright." She held her sides in. "I'm sorry Hades. The truth is." She tried to stop laughing but she kept chuckling. "The truth is, I think you're, I think you're. . . I think you're . . . I think you're the most handsome man I've ever met. And I don't understand you. I don't understand how you smell so good all the time. You actually listen to me when I speak my mind. You never made me feel. . . feel less than, or treated me like a child. You have the sexiest shoulders I've. . . like. . . how do shoulders even be sexy?" Persephone huffed. "It doesn't make sense! Oh gods. Maybe I'm still struck with the arrow." She pressed her hand to her cheeks. "I've been a really dumb idiot. And I've embarrased myself time and time again. So I don't care if I do it again when I tell you, that, Hades." She looked up at him. "I would like to date you. Like. Really Date your face off actually. Like I wanna go on drives with you and get milkshakes. And, and go take walks around the park. I wanna drop by your house and it be normal. And eat pizza with you and argue about what shows to watch. And I want your dogs to like me." She gasped. "Oh my gods, do I want your dogs to like me."

Hades laughed again on his own volition.

"You think I'm silly." Persephone turned red.

"I'll do you one better." Hades leaned in and kissed her right on the mouth. She opened her eyes in shock, then melted into him. His lips folded to hers. Oh my gods, she was really kissing him. This wasn't like kissing Ares. No conflict. No crazy over the top emotion. It felt right. It felt good. Persephone deepened the kiss, pretty sure that this was all a dream and she'd wake up back on the mortal realm or something horrible like that.

Too quickly, Hades pulled back. "I love you, Persephone." Hades announced very assuredly. He pulled his hand through her hair. "I hated seeing you with Ares, but I thought, you were happy. And I found some solace in that. That, if you were happy, then, then I could-"

"I was miserable." Persephone sighed.

Hades grinned. "I know that now. But now I know something."

"What?"

"I want to be the man that takes you to work. Or holds your hand. I want to be the one you hug at the end of the night. I want to be the man you tell your truth to." He sighed and kissed Persephone on the forehead. She blushed. "You want to go on dates?" He looked up at her, his eyes swimming with emotion.

Persephone nodded.

"I want you to marry me." Hades slid a piece of paper towards her.

Persephone froze. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. "W-what?" Did he really just-

"Maybe not now." Hades said quickly. "But know that, this is my intention."

Persephone picked up the wedding invitation. Reading both of their names over and over again. "I don't understand." Her brow furrowed.

"That's alright." Hades shrugged. "I don't either. But maybe one day, we will. I think, some day in the future we'll look back on this and say, 'Oh, so that's what happened.' And this." He motioned to the wedding invitation. "This will make sense. I'd like to get to that day with you." He looked down at her and offered his hand. "But in the meantime. Let's go get a milkshake. I'll buy you some more night cream if you want to. I feel like I owe you that."

Persephone smiled. "And I owe you this." Persephone grabbed his tie and pulled him into her kiss. She kissed him eagerly, so thrilled to be able to touch him like this.

"You don't owe me anything." Hades pulled away.

"You're right." Persephone pushed off of Hades and stood up. "I don't have to kiss you, or hold your hand. Or tell you that I like the way your hair feels when I run my fingers through it." She grabbed his hand. "But I'll do it anyway." She kissed him again, flying up to meet his lips. She wrapped her fingers through his hair.

"Do I still owe you that milkshake?" Hades said between gasps.

"Oh, you most certainly do." Persephone grinned mischievously up and they walked back to his car together.

* * *

AN: Thank you so much for going on this wild ride with. Ares and Persephone's dynamic was SO MUCH fun to write. Honestly, I really just wanted them to make out and not feel bad about it, so I wrote 9 chapters and over 20,000 words to get us there.

I'm literally obsessed with my own chapter. Drop down your favorite line in the comments. Thank you again!

xoxo Goldie


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